Survivor
by Maoriel
Summary: She was the disgrace of her family. A mage without magical powers. A princess who was a battle-hardened fighter instead of a graceful lady. A slave, who was full with the pride, because even though hardships, she was still unbowed, unbent, unbroken. Noctis x Tifa x Cloud, Aerith x Zack AU
1. The Rival

**Chapter 1.**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Final Fantasies.**

 **Song: Fallen Star**

 **Artist: Kamelot**

Tifa groaned and covered her head with a pillow when her maid called her. She knew it was useless - when king Angeal Hewley is calling you, pillows and covers are powerless against him.

King Angeal was her uncle. After the war with Lucis, her hometown, Nibelheim was burned to the ground and she was saved by sir Zangan miraculously. King Angeal adopted her and she was called as Lady Hewley after that.

Tifa quickly dressed and went into her uncle's cabinet. He was sitting on a chair, reading a long letter. In front of him sat Zack, her cousin. Young dark-haired man was shifting impatiently. When she walked into the room, Angeal stopped reading and glanced at her.

"Oh, Tifa, you're here." He said with his low, warm voice and pointed at the chair. "Sit! "

Tifa obeyed and sat on the chair. King Angeal sighed and placed the letter on the mahogany table. He adjusted his glasses and clasped his hands.

"Tifa, you know, that our conflict with Lucis started years ago."

"Yes." She answered and shuddered. She remembered how Sephiroth Crescent, general of Lucis burned her hometown down and slaughtered her parents, lord Shuyin Lockhart and lady Lenne Hewley.

She remembered how her brave parents defended her against that silver-haired monster and how long, narrow sword pierced her father's chest and how sharp blade beheaded her mother.

Tifa shuddered. Her uncle noticed her trembling and gently placed his large palm on her hand.

"I know your pain, dear niece. It was horrible when I heard how my sister died. This pain still tears my heart apart."

"Cut the crap, father." Zack growled. Tifa frowned. When Zack was angry, it was very, very bad sign.

"I don't want my people suffer anymore." Dark blue eyes narrowed. "So I want Tifa to marry king Regis."

Tifa stared at her uncle in disbelief. He was kidding, right? Her uncle was gentle, kind man and that was really, really cruel joke. She shuddered again.

"Are you kidding me?" She asked in a small voice. "Should I laugh now? "

"No, my dear niece." Angeal lowered his head. "King Regis asked your hand and I accepted. Your wedding will be after one month."

"No." Zack growled again. "You can't force her to marry a man who ordered to destroy her hometown. You can't! "

"Think before you speak, Zack." Angeal said calmly. "Tifa isn't the only one who orphaned during war. There are thousands, who lost their parents and home and will be more, if we don't stop the war."

Tifa bit her lip. Of course, she wasn't naïve enough to think she was the only one who was suffered by war. People lost their families and lives during the war and it was her duty to stop that horrible killing machine. She raised her head and stared her uncle in the eyes.

"I will do it." She said in a small voice.

"No." Zack hissed. "You will not. I won't let you marry that horrible man."

Sweet Zack. He always cared about his little cousin, who was like a sister to him. She leaned closer to him.

"Thank you, Zack." She said and squeezed his hand. "But it's my choice and I decided to wed Regis."

Angeal nodded and rested his chin on his palms. His dark eyebrows furrowed when he inhaled deeply.

"Pack your things, Tifa. You will leave Gaia today and go to Lucis." His dark blue eyes drifted from her to his son. "Zack, prepare for your wedding with Aerith Gainsborough of Kalm."

"Go to hell, father." Zack snarled, got up and stormed out from the cabinet.

* * *

Tifa was standing in front of King Regis. His sharp eyes were locked in her earth-colored ones, studying her. Young woman shifted uncomfortably. She didn't like when someone eyed her like she was a piece of meat. King Regis clapped and smiled warmly at her.

"Lady Hewley, you're more beautiful than the morning of the summer day. You definitely look like Lenne."

"You knew my mother?" Tifa was astonished. There were few people who could remember her mother. Most of her mother's friends died when general Sephiroth attacked Nibelheim.

King Regis Lucis Caelum nodded.

"She was my betrothed, you know? But her father decides that Shuyin was better son-in-law. So, your mother married to Shuyin. After five years you were born. My son, Noctis is a year older than you."

So this old sack of trash was supposed to be her father. Tifa thanked the gods because her grandfather chose her father over Regis.

She eyed old man. He looked like a kind person. 'Like it wasn't he, who started the war between Lucis and Gaia twenty-six years ago. ' she thought bitterly.

"...I decided to celebrate our engagement tonight." King Regis announced. "It will be small ball." When he noticed her frustrated expression, he chuckled. "Don't worry, Princess of Gaia. I know, how you hate me and my country. I won't force anything, I promise." Then he frowned. "Except ceremony of our wedding, of course."

He wouldn't force anything? Maybe he wasn't as bad as she thought.

"You promise?" She whispered. Old king smiled warmly at her.

"I promise."

* * *

Tifa was squirming in her tight wine-colored dress. That old bastard. He said it would be small ball.

She wondered what he called 'The Grand Ball.'

Thousands of the noblemen were around here. King Regis was walking between groups of lords and ladies and chatting with them. Every single man was a stranger to her and she felt like the single sheep in the pack of hungry wolves. Everyone was watching her with the critical eyes. A single wrong move and they would swallow her like hungry lion would swallow its prey.

"Would you dance with me, Your Highness?" Velvety voice whispered in her ear. She turned around to accept his offer and suddenly felt how her heart stopped beating and how her blood froze in her veins.

In front of her stood the great Sephiroth. His long, silver-colored hair was cascading down, his emerald-green eyes watched her carefully, slight smirk was playing on his lips. Like he enjoyed her suffering.

Tifa gritted her teeth and fought the urge to wrap her fingers around his perfect neck and choke him perfectly.

"Your Highness?" He murmured. He noticed how her dark eyebrows furrowed and how her eyes darkened from the fury. The young princess of Gaia calmed herself and smiled at him sweetly.

"Of course, my lord."

She shivered when he placed his left hand on her waist and wrapped his long fingers around her right one. Same hands weld blade, that pierced gentle heart of her father. Same hands beheaded her beautiful and strong mother. She remembered the sound, that was caused by her mother's head dropping on the floor and she remembered feeling, when the warm blood of her deceased parents splashed on her face. Painted her skin in the sick shade of red.

'Hold yourself, Hewley.' She scolded herself. 'You're much stronger than that sick bastard with silver hair. He can't break you. No one can break the princess of Gaia.' Yes, fate tried to break her. Killed her parents, burned her home, dropped her in a strange country, but she was still unbreakable and strong.

She remembered how Zack joked that the princess wasn't human and she was made of iron.

' _You have the fists of iron.' He told her and she grinned at him. Tifa took his words as a compliment, but he frowned at her. 'Don't grin like that. Iron is hard and solid, but it won't bow. It will break if you pressure it.'_

 _'Don't worry.' She grinned again. 'I won't bow and I won't break.'_

 _Zack cocked an eyebrow._

 _'My, aren't you too confident, dear cousin?'_

 _'I'm not confident, I just know what I'm capable of.'_

Her heart squeezed when she remembered her dear cousin. She would give anything for one day in Gaia again.

"May I steal her from you, Sir Sephiroth?" Deep voice asked and she turned her head around to see her savior. Behind her stood a blond man with sapphire colored eyes. Young woman noticed how emerald-green eyes narrowed and grip on her hand tightened. So, great silver general disliked that blond man. Immediately she felt respect and sympathy toward blond. The grip on her hand loosened and Tifa was freed from the clutches of silver-haired monster. General slightly bowed in front of her and blond man.

"Of course, my lord." His velvety voice scratched her ears. "I'll see you again, my queen." Tifa bowed and watched how tall freak left her vision. She spun around and almost threw herself in blond's arms. That man definitely would be her favorite lord.

Blond chuckled when he saw her thankful expression. He rested his palms on her waist. Tifa placed her hands on his shoulders and grinned at him.

"You're welcome."

The dark-haired girl shifted. 'You're welcome?' She remembered how her uncle told her that the palace was a dark place with terrible traps. One wrong move and you could say good-bye to your life. King Angeal told her that she could only trust him, Zack and Aerith Gainsborough, her childhood friend.

And in Lucis, there was no one trustworthy. She was a stranger to them. Wild animal. Enemy. If she wanted to live, she should play polite, naïve young woman.

So, she furrowed her eyebrows and tilted her head to watch blond's face closely.

"What do you mean?" She asked in a fake astonishment. "I didn't thank you for anything." She felt how the blond's body trembled, like he was trying to keep himself from bursting into laughing.

"You didn't say anything, but I saw your thankfulness in your eyes." He answered. His water colored eyes were watching her face carefully. When she opened her mouth to reply, he sighed. "Don't need to play a naïve woman in front of me, Lady Hewley. After all, I'm the Rebel Lord."

"Rebel Lord?" Tifa repeated his words. Her brown eyes widened. "You're the Cloud Strife?" She gasped. That blond boy was the brave lord, who stood against the king of Lucis when Regis decided to burn Nibelheim down.

Brown haired maiden shook her head. It was impossible, he was too young. Perhaps one or two years older than her. Seventeen years old boy can't stand against the king. It's too dangerous.

Blond smirked.

"But you were too young! How you stayed alive?" Soon-to-be-queen stared at him with her jaw dropped to the floor. Cloud shrugged.

"Regis was too furious. He wanted to punish me, but didn't dare." When he noticed her curious stare he explained. "My father, Setzer Strife is only one in Lucis who knows how to build airships." He smiled at her. "But now everyone calls me 'Traitor' and 'Rebel Lord.'"

"Aren't you afraid?" Tifa asked quietly. "After your father's death, your life will be in danger."

Cloud shook his head.

"No, Lady Hewley, it will not. Only my father and I know how to build airships. As long as I'm only one who knows how to build airships, I'm safe." He smirked at her. "Knowledge is power, Lady Hewley."

Tifa nodded. She felt a small relief that she wasn't the only one in a castle who was against war between Lucis and Gaia. But she still didn't trust Cloud. He was a stranger. Even if he was against the king's plan five years ago, it didn't mean that he was ally. She was alone in a strange country, in a strange castle with the strange people.

Cloud let go her, brought her hand to his lips and kissed her knuckles. He gave her a small smile.

"Goodbye, Lady Hewley, I'll see you again.

* * *

Tifa yawned and stretched. She still felt little tiredness from yesterday's ball, but she had energy and she was ready for her training.

Tifa trained in hand-to-hand combat, swordsmanship and archery since childhood. And after fifteen years of the training now she was an excellent martial artist, swordswoman and archer.

Tifa crawled out of the bed and put tight hide pants and long green tunic on. Her creamy legs slipped into high leather boots. She combed and braided her long hair and looked at her reflection in the mirror. Princess of Gaia decided that she was ready for the training.

It was her first training in Lucis and she didn't have sparing partner (in Gaia Zack and king Angeal helped her during training). She frowned and grabbed the long bow. After all, she didn't need a partner to shoot an arrow.

She inhaled sharply and placed an ashen arrow on the string. Her index, middle and ring finger were covered with soft leather half-glove to protect her fingers from harming.

She closed her left eye. Dark haired woman drew her bow and shot an arrow.

Right in the bullseye.

Tifa smirked smugly and placed another arrow on a string. She inhaled deeply again and was ready to shoot, when she heard clapping.

She spun around and saw a tall man with bluish-black spiky hair and dark blue, almost black eyes. He was dressed in a simply black outfit. 'He's probably a servant.' Dark haired princess thought to herself.

"It was great." He praised and beautiful archer grinned. "For a woman." He added and Tifa felt how her smile faded. Sexist bastard!

She scowled at him and dropped her black bow on the ground. Her will of training was vanished now. Dark haired man noticed her scowl.

"Why are you angry?" He asked innocently and Tifa growled. That son of a bitch! Like he didn't know why was she so angry. She thought how the queen of Lucis should punish that arrogant bastard. 'Maybe I can behead him.' She mused and smirked. She knew it was too harsh punishment, but hey, he started it.

The man glanced at her with an interest.

"You only shoot arrows or are you talented in the other things?" He asked with raised eyebrows. She snorted in the quite unladylike way and pointed at her.

"I'm the master of martial arts and swordsmanship." She declared proudly and noticed how his eyes lit up with sparks. He leaned forward.

"Are you trained in swordsmanship?" He asked and the woman shot him an annoyed expression.

"I just told you now, didn't I?" He chuckled at her words and unsheathed his black sword.

"Then let's see what you can." He smirked daringly and wrapped his long fingers tightly around the hilt of the sword. Tifa snorted again.

"And why you think, that I want to spar with you?" She asked and arched her eyebrows. The man shrugged and stroke the blade of his sword. He was rubbing it gently, like it was the body of his lover and not a sharp blade of the deadly weapon.

"You need a partner for your training." He explained. "If you aren't on the basics." He smirked again. It was a last straw. Tifa growled and punched him in his pretty nose. Her face was as red as the little stream of his blood, flowing from a broken nose.

"I don't like the way you're talking to me." She growled. Hard fingers of her left hand curled into the fist. "And I will beat you to the pulp if you resume your behavior." She spat. He gave her an amused expression.

"Is that a threat?" He asked in an amused voice.

"No, it's a promise." She answered. Her eyes were burning with a rage. "And I'm good at keeping promises." She turned around and left him.

He was watching how she left his vision and smirked. That woman was a challenge and he always welcomed challenges.

* * *

She stripped down and changed into a gold hued silk dress. She was humming, still angry at the cocky bastard from the yard. 'I'll kill him with my bare hands.' She promised herself and frustration. When she stormed into her chamber, her maid told her that king Regis wanted her to meet his son. She growled and combed her hair. That Noctis Bastard Caelum was probably some crybaby prince with 'i-cut-my-little-finger-gods-help-me-I'm-dying-from-the-blood-loss' personality. She groaned. What a day.

Someone knocked on her door. She grunted and braided her hair.

"Come in." She yelled.

"Lady Hewley?" Her maid asked. She was standing in a frame of her bedroom door. "King Regis is calling you. Prince Noctis returned."

'Great.' Lady Hewley thought to herself. 'Calm down, Tifa. It's time to meet your soon-to-be stepson. Wake up, my maternal instincts.' She told herself and sighed.

"I'm ready." She declared. Her maid nodded and guided her in the palace. Tifa tried to memorize the plan of the castle. She didn't want to lost in that huge-ass palace and die from starving. 'After few centuries they will find my skeleton.' She snickered and frowned. 'I'm laughing at my death. This isn't healthy.' She thought worriedly, then shrugged. 'To hell with it.'

The maid opened mahogany door and Tifa saw her fiancé, sitting on the white-stone throne. He smiled at her warmly.

"Tifa, my dear..." her stomach churned at the words 'my dear.'"I'm glad that you have a chance to meet my son."

"I'm glad too." She answered sarcastically. King Regis didn't notice her sarcasm or pretended like he didn't notice. He clapped his hands.

"Noctis, my son, come and meet your new mother."

She quietly growled at the word 'mother' (his bastard was a year older than her. Being his 'mother' was just disgusting) and turned around to see the face of her 'future son.'

And she felt how her jaw dropped to the floor when she saw familiar bluish-black spikes and blackish-blue eyes.


	2. The Jester

**Chapter 2.**

"Nice to meet you, 'Mother.'" Brown eyes narrowed and Tifa fought for urge to break his pretty nose again. He was standing in front of her, smiling cockily with his eyes bright and wide. Brown haired maiden noticed that someone wiped blood from his face.

"It's 'My Lady' for you." She answered coldly. Forget the plan to play a naïve and innocent girl. This boy was driving her crazy.

"But you're marrying my father." He argued. "So after two weeks you will be my mother." That son-of-a-Bandersnatch! Princess of Gaia tamed her anger and smiled pleasantly with her sickly sweet smile that could churn everyone's stomach from the nausea of future dangers.  
"It's still 'My Lady' or 'Lady Tifa'." King Regis nodded and chuckled.

"Listen to her, son. Soon she will be queen of Lucis and if you make her angry, she will have your head." King glanced at his son. "By the way, what's wrong with your face, Noctis? Why is your nose broken?"

Young prince flushed and started rubbing his hand on his neck. Tifa shot him victorious smile when she remembered pleasant crackle caused by breaking off his nose. What a heavenly sound it was!

"I was fighting with wild cat." Young prince lied. Tifa scoffed silently. What a lame lie. "And she hit me with her paw." He explained. King cocked an eyebrow and glanced at his young fiancée.

"I see..." He mumbled and combed his beard with his fingers. He sighed and waved to his son. "You are dismissed, son. Luna is here, in the castle, she missed you."

"I missed her too." Noctis mumbled. His expression was cold and grim, his lips pressed in the thin line. 'Looks like there's a someone as bad at lying as me.' Tifa thought when she saw his expression and another pleasant smile plastered on her face. Hell yeah, rot in the hell you cocky bastard!

"You can leave too, my dear." King told Tifa. She nodded and slightly bowed. Noctis grabbed her hand. "I'll show you the palace." He told her. She raised an eyebrow and glanced at him.

"You don't look like a man who is burning with a willingness to see his beloved fiancée as soon as possible." She murmured. Her future step son looked at her briefly and sighed.

"You know about my engagement?" He asked. Brunette shrugged.

"It's a royal engagement, everyone knows about it." "I guess, you're right." He sighed again and opened a double door to her. "Everyone knows." He repeated. Young gaian looked at him curiously.

"Why are you so sad? Is she an ugly woman?" She asked. Lucian shook his head.

"No. She is the most beautiful woman in Lucis." She scoffed and he smirked. "After you, of course, my lady." He added with sweet tone. Tifa rolled her eyes.

"Is she evil?" She asked again. Her companion chuckled.

"There's isn't such a thing like an evil person in the palace, Lady Tifa." He answered during walking. Tifa took a look. They were in a narrow lobby. High walls were covered with a green ornamented wallpaper. Mahogany floor creaked under their feet. Portraits of deceased ancestors adorned moss and gold-colored wallpaper. She touched one picture. It was a portrait of a beautiful young woman with long bluish-black locks and blueberry colored eyes.

"Princess Sarisa Lucis Caelum." Prince of Lucis said. "She was my aunt." He added when Tifa glanced at him.

"She is so beautiful and young." She breathed.

"She died when she was beautiful and young." The prince said dryly. "From black fever. You call it 'Geostigma' in Gaia." Girl gasped when he said that. Geostigma was awful incurable disease. Many in Gaia died with most painful and horrible death. She squeezed his hand.

"I'm sorry." She muttered. Young man shook his head.

"No, you're not." He said softly, then she glanced at her and pulled her hand. "Now, let's keep going. Enough painful memories."

"You still didn't answer my question." Tifa said stubbornly. "Why you were so sad and angry when king mentioned your fiancée. What's the reason of that?"

"I can't tell you." He smirked when he noticed her puffed cheeks. "But I'll tell you in the future."

Her eyes narrowed.

"You promise?" She asked. He chuckled and nodded.

"I promise." He let her hand go and brought her knuckles to his lips. "Prepare for event, My Lady. Tonight you will meet Lunafreya Nox Fleuret, your future daughter-in-law and your best friend or your worst enemy, depends on..."

"Depends on what?" Tifa asked impatiently. He leaned closer to her and murmured in her ear.

"Depends on how good can you act and lie."

* * *

"Soon, Figaro." Hooded man whispered. Gloved hand slightly brushed sweated, tired stallion. Horse scoffed and stepped forward. His black, beautiful mane was shining in the moonlight. Figaro (it was the horse's name) was truly the pride of his owner.

The hooded man glanced at the full moon. His long, blond ponytail was hitting on his back. His sapphire blue eyes were lost in nowhere. He was remembering his past. Nights, when he was kissing and making love with his beloved fiancée. Nights, when he was happy and blinded with love. Nights, when he was in love madly with light golden hair, striking iris colored eyes, small pink lips and beautiful rounded face. He reminded himself, when he was a naive lovestruck young man who believed in a bright future.

The golden-haired man laughed bitterly. Everything was taken from him. Everything. And nothing was given back. He demanded nothing. Nothing except small, brave, confused woman with pale blond hair and purple eyes.

The blonde sighed. He would give anything to see her again.

But it was impossible.

Because she died years ago from an illness. He saw how people mourned the loss of their beautiful, kind queen. How they cried because of her and because of themselves. How they resembled small children, who lost their mother. His heart was shattering. His eyes were burning from tears of rage and sadness. His teeth were breaking from gritting. He swore that he would avenge for her.

It was the reason why he was traveling in midnight. Revenge.

Figaro scoffed again and hooded man glanced small building in front of them. "Good horsey." He mumbled and jumped down from the stallion. The blond sighed, stepped forward and opened the door.

"Who the fuck is there?" Someone called from bar and man's lips curved upward. Same old Cid Highwind with his famous warm greetings.

"It's me." He answered. A blond head popped up from the wooden bar and Highwind's famous foul mouth broke into a wide grin.

"Oh, it's you." He acknowledged newcomer. Cid pointed with his thumb at a blond, muscled man. "He's waiting for ya since yesterday."

The hooded man nodded and went towards blond man. He sat down on the wooden stool and glanced at the familiar face. High cheekbones, long, straight nose, thin lips and narrow sapphire blue eyes. He was looking at his face. Like someone placed a mirror in front of him.

"Sabin." He breathed. His reflection grinned widely.

"It's good to see you again, Edgar."

* * *

She squirmed in her dress again. What's wrong with these lucians and their balls? Dark-haired beauty stroked her cobalt hued silk dress. Slim fingers curled around the foot of a crystal goblet. She raised the glass and gulped a large amount of wine. Tonight she needed an alcohol to endure the thousand pairs of curious and hateful eyes, a pushy stepson and her future daughter-in-law.

And she nearly gagged at that thought.

A year older daughter-in-law. What a pain in ass. She gulped red wine again. Sweet liquid caressed her tongue and throat, calmed her anger and frustration. Her eyes traveled on empty goblet. She needed more wine.

"You already drank half of the bottle, 'Mother'. It's not healthy to drink that amount of alcohol."

Tifa jerked and her brown eyes narrowed from anger when she saw familiar black spikes, blue eyes and cocky grin. Her fingers twitched from need to smack that bastard in his face and break his nose again.

"It's rude to talk to your queen like that, Noctis." Soft voice chided the prince of Lucis and brown eyes directed short, slim blonde woman. She was looking at the future queen with soft, warm, innocent bluish-gray eyes. Hewley's pink lips curved in a small smile. She already liked this woman. Blonde extended her hand and her soft fingertips touched Tifa's palm. Her skin was a shade darker than Tifa's and covered with small, almost invisible freckles. She smiled politely.

"I'm Lady Lunafreya Nox Fleuret." Blonde said. Her voice rang like thousand golden bells. "Prince Noctis's fiancée."

"Tifa Hewly, princess of Gaia." Tifa shook shorter woman's hand. It seemed fragile and delicate in the younger woman's calloused hand. Future queen of Lucis grinned widely and her mind realized that she drank enough amount of wine.

"Look, mom's smiling." Noctis announced cheerfully. "How lovely." Brunette scowled at him when he chuckled.

"Lady Fleuret is right, Prince Noctis." High-pitched voice spoke and Tifa imagined that something clawed her ears. Her eyes slightly twitched and her mouth curved in another wide grin when she saw how young prince's expression fell. Whoever was the owner of this voice, she already liked annoying voice continued. "Soon Lady Tifa will be the queen of Lucis, second most powerful person in the Lucis. If you won't watch your tongue, she'll have your head soon after her wedding." Tifa smiled with satisfaction. Ha, right in your face, you little son-of-a-bandersnatch. Noctis growled.

"I think, you forgot who's your prince, Kefka." He said venomously. Dull blue eyes narrowed. "Mind your tongue, Jester."

"I'm not insulted." Owner of the voice, Kefka stated calmly but Tifa knew from his voice that he had a smirk plastered on his face, even though 'Jester' was behind her and she couldn't see his face.

"Too bad for you." Young prince spat. "It's nothing prideful to be a jester." He grabbed the hand of his fiancée and tugged it. "Let's go, Luna, there's no place for us." He led her further away from Tifa and Kefka and disappeared with a blonde woman in the crowd. Tifa smiled broadly and turned around. When she saw Kefka, she knew why Noctis called him 'Jester'.

His face was covered with heavy, colorful make up and she almost couldn't see his real features. His eyelids were colored red and his lips were painted with the purple lipstick, making illusion that he had impossibly large mouth. His cheeks were unnaturally white and his eyebrows and part of the forehead were covered with red marks. Kefka's blond, oiled hair was tied into high, tight ponytail and even his outfit resembled jester's. His blouse was sewed from the red and green silk and cotton triangles. His light green pants were short and ballooned out below his hips. Underneath the pants he was wearing light yellow leggings and jester's red, pointy shoes. He only needed stupid wide grin and star-shaped colorful hat to portray traditional jester.

But he wasn't grinning. He only smiled slightly. His unnaturally bright blue eyes watched the young woman with strange sparks in them. Tifa knew that he was amused because of her actions. Her brown eyes narrowed.

"It was strange." She mumbled. The blond man leaned closer to her and gazed dark-haired princess with his sky-colored eyes.

"What was strange?" High-pitched voice deepened. She gulped.

"He called you 'Jester' but you weren't insulted." She answered. 'Smooth, Tifa.' Bright blue eyes narrowed.

"Yes, I wasn't." He tilted his head to the side. "Should I?" His future queen looked at him with a confused expression.

"Isn't 'Jester' an insult? It sounded like you were a clown."

"Because I'm a clown." He answered with deep, husky voice. "And I'm proud of it, Lady Tifa."

"Why?" She asked. "Why are you proud of it?"

"Because..." He paused, searching the right words. "Because jesters can speak truth, cold, hard facts and no one will punish them for this. They are just joking. You can call jesters ' _The Voice Of Reason._ '" He leaned backward. "Lust, greed, sloth, pride, envy, gluttony, wrath - seven deadly sins of the mere humans and seven deadly traps for the kings. Power blinds them. One wrong word and they can behead you, so you must choose your words carefully and fill their heads with lies." Kefka shifted. "But we, jesters, can speak bluntly with hidden truth in our jokes, plant doubts in their minds. Are they doing everything right? Are they good kings? How their descendants will remember them? With those doubts we can save thousands of people with our jokes."

"Is that so?" She asked flatly. "Then, where was that voice of reason when Sephiroth burned Nibelheim?"

"We're planting seeds of doubts in their minds, Lady Tifa." He answered. "But sometimes, seeds can't grow for reasons."

"Then you should plant more seeds." She cut him off. He chuckled.

"You are very blunt, my queen. You know that this is dangerous in the palace?" He laughed. "Everyone is lying and acting here and that girl, Lunafreya, is best of them. She has a talent." Kefka said admiringly. Tifa scoffed from frustration and her interlocutor chuckled again. "Royal palace is a big theater and these little lords and ladies are its actors and actresses. You should play your role too, my lady."

"And if I won't?"

"Then you'll die, Lady Tifa." His eyes brightened. Dark-haired woman raised her head.

"I won't play that silly game." She answered firmly. "And I won't die."

Blond chuckled again, took her hand and touched it slightly with his painted lips.

"Don't be so confident, my queen." He replied and left her.


	3. The Queen

**Chapter 3.**

Terrible headache woke her up. Her eyes lazily opened when the sunlight touched and caressed her face. She yawned and rubbed her eyelids. Because of her killer hangover everything she needed now was the 'Blue Mountain Flower's Potion'. She closed her eyes and tried to remember recipe which Aerith taught her years ago. Eight petals of fresh blue mountain flower and two wings of Butterfly Monarch. She scratched her head. Where she could find two wings of Butterfly Monarch?

"Damn you, Mother Nature." She mumbled and yawned. "Couldn't you plant those health recovery features into more mere things, like in the disc of daisy or in the leaf of the red mountain flowers?" Her fingers tangled in her hair when she brushed it. "I'll ask the alchemist of palace if he has those damn wings." Just wings. She could find blue flowers in the garden of the palace. Tifa mentally thanked her green-eyed friend for teaching her the basics of alchemy. She didn't trust the alchemist of the palace and preferred to mix potions with her own hands.

Tifa stretched her arms, yawned and climbed out of bed. Her bare foot blindly sought soft bedroom slippers. After five minutes of meaningless searching, she gave up on comfortable shoes and walked barefoot toward long, wide mirror. The princess of Gaia frowned when she saw ruined face of her reflection in the mirror. Yep, she needed a large portion of strong health recovery potion or maybe a cup of the herbal tea. She remembered how Aerith mixed blue mountain flowers with petals of lavender and yellow flowers of the dragon's tongue. After a few minutes of thinking dark-haired girl decided that she would choose pleasant scented, sweet drink over miasma of the blue liquid that her friend called 'Blue Mountain Flower's Potion.'

Her heart ached as she remembered sweet, innocent years of her childhood, when her parents were alive and Aerith was living with her. Aerith Gainsborough was the heiress of Lady Elmyra Gainsborough of Kalm and daughter of Faremis Gainsborough of Kalm and Ifalna Gast of Cetra. She was five years old, when Sephiroth attacked Cetra and slaughtered everyone in town. Thankfully, Aerith was in Kalm during the cold-blooded massacre and because of that, last Cetra stayed alive. Kalm was next nearer town on the border between Lucis and Gaia and Elmyra sent Aerith in Nibelheim to King's sister and brother-in-law. It was a common thing to raise another Lord or Lady's child for towns bonding and they used this as an excuse, but Tifa knew the real reason. Aerith was the last Cetra, most powerful mage in the Gaia (after Tifa's mother, of course) and she was very dangerous to the army of Lucis. King Regis only needed her dead body or alive and imprisoned. And Lady Lenne was more capable to protect and raise the innocent and harmless, yet powerful young mage than lady Elmyra.

Aerith lived with Lockharts eleven years. Lenne raised her as a powerful mage (and to be honest, during these years Tifa felt a little neglected. Because of her lack of magic, Lenne paid her less attention. But, on the other hand, her father, Shuyin Lockhart raised her as true warrior and master of swordsmanship and martial arts) and when they celebrated young Cetra's fifteenth birthday, Aerith decided that she was strong enough to protect herself and her town and left Nibelheim, Lockharts and Tifa.

It was most terrible day for thirteen year old Tifa. Although Aerith grasped her hands, smiled with her sweet smile and assured young, sobbing girl that everything would be all right, something told heiress of Lockhart's, that green-eyed Cetra was lying.

And that something was right. Two years later, madman burned down her town.

Tifa shook her head, shooed her painful memories away. She slipped into tight, light green hide pants, loose white cotton shirt, black velvet comfortable vest and brown, leather high boots. She combed and braided her hair and washed her face. Headache still tortured her brain. Young princess sighed and went out from her bed-chamber.

She opened the double door to walk outside. Bright sunlight instantly blinded her and fresh scents of a thousand kinds of flower filled her nostrils. Her brown pupils adjusted the brightness of outside and she bravely stepped forward. The soft petals of colorful flowers touched her knees, caressed them. She leaned forward and her fingertips brushed blood-red poppies and snow-white daisies. She closed her eyes and inhaled overwhelming scents of flowers.

She opened her eyes and began searching ingredients of Aerith's famous hangover-killer herbal tea. She cut blue mountain flower delicately and sought another plant, when suddenly someone handed her another blue mountain flower. She raised her eyes to see her helper and her thankfulness disappeared when she saw blueberry-colored eyes.

"Thank you." she told him flatly. His face broke into bright, dazzling smile as he leaned forward to watch her more carefully.

"You're welcome." Noctis grinned widely. His dark eyebrows furrowed. "Why are you cutting flowers?"

"I'm going to make herbal tea." She mumbled. When she noticed his confused expression, she explained: "It's for headache."

The prince of Lucis nodded knowingly and she remembered how he noted the amount of wine she drank. Her blood boiled again and her cheeks flushed with anger. Noctis didn't pay an attention to her expression as he said nonchalantly:

"Told you. You drank too much."

"Why you." Tifa growled and her fingers curled into fist. Dark-haired man noticed that she was ready to smack him in the face again and he leaned backward. Smart kid!

She inhaled deeply to calm herself. She needed something to distract herself whole day to abstain from killing the heir of Lucis's throne. Suddenly a brilliant idea brightened her mind.

"Is Lord Strife here?" She asked. Noctis frowned as she mentioned the name of The Rebel Lord.

"Yes." He answered coldly. "My father summoned him today."

"Great." She dusted off her pants and straightened her spine. Noctis frowned more.

"Why you asked?"

"I want to see the townsfolk." Tifa explained. "And I need someone, who can show me the town."

"I can be your guide." Noctis offered, but young woman shook her head. 'Like i can walk with you in the town and restrain myself from killing you.' She thought sarcastically. She needed someone who wouldn't anger her and she only knew a few people. Kefka somehow frightened her. Lunafreya was sweet, but Tifa was warned by two people about her. Besides, the only ladylike person Tifa could stand was Aerith. The only remained choice was Lord Cloud Strife. He was silent-type, mysterious and closed man, but Tifa somehow knew that the blond man could be a great guide.

"No, your father needs you." Tifa almost scoffed at her lame excuse. "Besides, I want to know Lord Cloud Strife more."

"Suit yourself." Noctis shrugged. Frown still didn't disappear from his face. Tifa leaned backward.

"Can tell Lord Strife that I need him?" She asked and Noctis frowned more.

"Who you think I am?" He asked in a coarse voice. "Your personal servant?" Tifa slightly smirked at his comment.

"Do you need to be a servant to fulfill your mommy's request?" She asked with sweet voice. His face reddened from anger and Tifa was sure that he forgot his doubts and thoughts about her little trip in the town.

"Ask him yourself." He answered her, turned around and left the garden. Tifa watched how he left with the small, victorious smile playing on her lips.

* * *

She touched the brown mane of her mare and smiled when noticed the curious glances. Her horse was long-legged white mere with unusual brown mane and big, almond-shaped brown eyes. She was her gift from her uncle when she celebrated her seventeenth birthday. Princess of Gaia called her ' _Arette_ ', the part of her own full first name. Mere scoffed and she smiled again, her hand extended again and her fingertips touched soft, silky mane of the horse.

"it's a noble thing." Her blond friend (If she could call him friend) said. "The wish to know how your people are living."

"They aren't my people." She said. When blond glanced at her, she added: "Not yet."

"But soon, they will." He said and she frowned. Tifa didn't want to talk about this. She was still upset because of her future wedding. Cloud noticed her frown and leaned closer to her. "What you want to see now? The opera, Grand Square or The Great Market?" Her Eyes sparkled when she heard his last words and he chuckled. He could tell that she was a fighter. Her hands were toned in the way that only swordsmen or martial artists had, but still, she was a woman and loved shopping.

"I brought a large bag, full of Gils." She confessed quietly and amused smile tugged her lips.

"Then you're lucky, because The Great Market is near." He replied and she giggled. She opened her mouth to say something, but the words didn't escape from her throat when she heard a deafening cry.

"Please, Mister, please, don't cut my hand!"

"Don't cut your hand? Don't cut your hand? I'll chop your hand off, you little bastard and maybe then you'll remember that stealing is a sin!" Someone growled and Tifa's eyes widened when she heard these words. She jumped from the back of _Arette_ and ran in the direction of the voice.

"Princess, wait!" Cloud yelled, but she didn't pay an attention to his voice. He cursed under his breath, climbed from his horse's back and ran after her. His lungs emptied from oxygen when he gasped as he saw how a large, fat man raised an ax above the little child's extended hand. The boy struggled, tried to free himself, but the man grasped his wrist tightly.

"Wait!" Tifa shouted. "Let the boy go!"

Man's head jerked and his black eyes flamed from anger.

"Let him go?" He growled. "He stole my meat, little missy. When I'll chop his hand off, then he'll learn that no one can mess with Corneo and stay unharmed."

Deep brown eyes widened.

"You're crippling the boy, because he stole some meat?" She exclaimed. "Are you crazy?"

"Yes, I'm crippling him because of that. I took him when he was still a squirt and raised him as my son and what he did? He stole my meat!"

Tifa glanced at the boy.

"It's true?" She asked quietly. "It is true what he said?"

The boy shook his head furiously as hot tears started flowing from his blue eyes.

"No, my lady." He cried. "He had me as his slave. I worked so hard and I have been always hungry... and then I stole his meat."

"The brat's right." Blond woman shouted from another counter. "I'm a witness. I saw how he hard he was working and how that old fart was beating him till death."

"Did you pay him for his work?" Tifa asked Corneo. He snorted.

"He had a shelter and food. He wanted money too?"

"He's lying." The boy screamed. Corneo smacked back of his head and growled something. Brown-haired woman's eyes blackened from the fury.

"He paid for that piece of meat with his work." She said calmly. "Now let him go."

"Like hell I'll let him go." Old man growled. " I don't know where were you raised or who raised you, Missy, but we're in the war now and the meat is as precious to us as the gold with the same weight."

"The war is over." She said angrily. Butcher's eyes narrowed.

"Maybe the war is over, but food, especially meat, is a rare pleasure to us and this kid was stealing my meat, my treasure from me."

"You still don't have the right to leave boy without a limb." She argued. When man's expression didn't change, her lips curved up from the disgust.

"Tell me the price." She said flatly. Corneo shrugged.

"Fifteen Gil." He answered casually. "Are you interested to buy some meat?"

"I'll never buy meat from the butcher, who chops human's limbs along with his goods." she spat and turned around to face Cloud. "Lord Strife, can you bring my bag to me?"

"With my pleasure, Your Majesty." Cloud answered calmly and Corneo's eyes widened.

"Your Majesty?" He mumbled when Tifa threw her bag in his arms.

"In this bag is more than fifteen Gil." She said quietly, her onyx-colored eyes pierced Corneo's wide ones. "You can use them in the prison." She raised her hand and ordered calmly. "Guards, arrest him!"

Corneo squealed when two pairs of armored hands grabbed his wrists. He struggled and tried to free himself from the guards, but it was meaningless.

"Why are you arresting me?" He cried and struggled again. "That brat stole my meat, you should arrest him"

"That brat already paid for this." Tifa said calmly. "And I'm ordering to arrest you because you were beating him. I won't tolerate beating children." She growled and her eyes traveled from old man to the child who was rubbing his wrists. She stepped forward and grabbed his hand gently. Cloud looked at her with interest.

"What are you going to do now, my lady?"

"I'm going to take him to the palace." She answered and blond shook his head.

"You can't." He replied. When her eyes dangerously narrowed, he explained. "You're showing your interest in this boy and you have many enemies in the palace, my queen. They can use the child against you and harm him." Tifa paled.

"Then what can I do?" She mumbled and her grip on the boy's wrist slightly tightened. "I can't leave him in the streets. He'll die from starving or something else."

"I can take him in my palace." Cloud suggested and he could swear that his heart skipped a beat when the queen of Lucis smiled at him with her most radiant smile. She let go the boy's wrist and hugged the blond man.

"Oh, thank you, Lord Strife." She grinned widely. "I won't forget that, I promise." Then she jerked and glanced at the boy behind her, who was coughing from embarrassment. "By the way, what's your name, child?"

"Denzel." He mumbled and shrugged. "Just Denzel, I don't have surname."

"From today, you'll be Strife." Tifa's face broke into another radiant smile, then she pulled off her leather glove and revealed the small silver band on her ring finger. She removed the band from her finger and handed it to the boy. Denzel noticed that the band had small leaves engraved on it. Brown-haired woman smiled at him. "My friend gave it to me when I was just a little girl. She told me that when I'll lose every hope of a bright future, I should look down at the ring and remember that leaves and flowers will bloom again and everything will be okay." The boy looked up at her with curiosity in his eyes.

"You don't need those leaves anymore?" He asked and his blue eyes narrowed. She chuckled.

"I have those leaves engraved on my heart." She smiled at him and ruffled his hair, then she glanced at the blond man.

"I have an idea and I need your help, Lord Strife." His lips curved into a small smile.

"With my pleasure."

* * *

"Six thousand Gil one, six thousand girl two, six thousand Gil three, sold!"

Tifa grinned widely and grabbed Cloud's hand. She strongly shook it.

"Thank you, Lord Strife." She beamed. "I wouldn't do this without you."

"It's generous act, milady." The blond answered. "You're selling all your treasure for the sake of Lucis's people." She flushed at his words.

"Don't mention it." She mumbled. "I didn't do this for mentioning. I would be grateful if no one mentioned my name during this, but Regis insisted."

"Because you're their queen, Milady." He replied. "They should know who saved them from starving."

"I said don't mention it again." She hissed. "How's Denzel?"

"He's great." Suddenly the blond chuckled. "When the butcher smacked him I thought you were going to punch him in the face." Tifa shot him funny expression. "What? You're a martial artist, aren't you?"

Her eyes narrowed.

"How you know that I'm a martial artist?"

"You have the build of a swordsman or a martial artist." He answered simply and she felt how blood rushed to her face. He was watching her during their trip. "And when you pulled off your glove, I saw the scars on your knuckles. Only martial artists have scars like these." He took her hand and his fingertips slightly brushed across her knuckles. "I'm interested, are you master of the swordsmanship or the martial arts?"

"Both." She smirked. "We can spare tomorrow and I'll prove what I'm capable to do."

"With my pleasure." He answered with his trademark words. His eyebrows furrowed. "Your stepson is coming."

"Don't call him that." She chided him. "He's older than me and when you're calling him that, it makes me feel like I'm an old hag." She scowled at him when he chuckled. "I don't look like an old hag, am I?"

"Of course, you don't look like that, Milady." He assured her. "Your beauty blooms like the flowers of cherry tree." Her scowl deepened. Cloud frowned slightly. "He's behind you." He whispered.

"What are you trying with this auction?" Noctis's voice rang in their ears and Tifa slightly shuddered from the unpleasant feeling. "Are you trying to buy my people's love with your money?"

"I'm trying to buy their lives from death." She answered with a sharp voice. "Because you and your father aren't helping them with your actions and even if the war ended because of my marriage, they're still starving. Someone should take care of them."

"And you think that someone is you?" He hissed. "Well, I'm sorry for disappointing you, but Lucians are proud people and they'll never accept help from the enemy."  
"And I'm not their enemy." Her eyes narrowed. "I'm their queen and taking care of them is my responsibility." When he opened his mouth to say something she spoke again. "I don't have time and will to hear this nonsense, the auctioneer is calling me." She grabbed the hem of her dress and swiftly left two dumbfounded males. Noctis turned around and glared at blond.

"What are you trying, Strife?" He hissed. "You think, I forgot how you humiliated me and my father years ago? You think you can beat Caelums if you join your powers with that gaian woman?" Cloud glanced at him coolly.

"I don't know what are you talking about, My Prince." He answered calmly. "But I can tell you that you're worrying too much. It will shorten your lifespan."

Dark eyebrows knitted together.

"Is that a threat?" He growled. "Are you threatening me, Strife?"  
The blond shrugged.

"It's just a warning, my lord, worrying is bad for a health." Then he glanced at Gaian brunette. "May I leave you now? Queen needs me." He smiled pleasantly and left the scowling prince.


	4. The Lord Of Figaro

**Chapter 4.**

" _Fire!"_

" _Fira!"_

" _Firaga!"_

 _Nothing happened._

 _She frowned when she looked down at her burned palms. The skin of her hands was red and covered with small, disgusting bubbles. She bit her lips and swallowed her screams and cries. She was Tifarette Lockhart, daughter of Shuyin Lockhart and Lenne Hewley, future lady of Nibelheim. She wouldn't cry for the small burnings. Tifa wiped her tears, inhaled deeply and murmured the formula of the fire spell again._

 _She felt how the heat of her spell touched and hurt her already burned skin again. She grimaced and stopped casting the spell. Little girl tried to cast cure on her burned areas, but failed again. The cool, healing breeze only touched her palms slightly and disappeared. She clenched her fingers and growled. She was Tifa Lockhart, daughter of the best summoner in the Gaia. She was bearing the blood of old Alexandria with her veins. She was supposed to be great mage and summoner and instead of that, she was a failure._

 _She glanced at her rival, who_ _cast_ _Blizzara flawlessly. Large spikes covered the fresh grass on the ground when emerald-eyed beauty clasped her hands and murmured the formula of freezing spell. The little lady of Nibelheim grimaced when she saw how her mother smiled proudly and patted_ _on_ _the Cetra's head_. _Her little heart clenched in her chest painfully and she felt how her eyes filled with the bitter tears again. This time she let her tears to flow on her cheeks freely. How she wanted to her mother smile at her like that. Tifa remembered how the princess of Gaia frowned when she tried to cast cure at first time. Her father assured them. He said that Tifa was still very young for this, but Lenne cut him off. She said that their daughter was the descendant of the legendary summoners of old Alexandria and if she couldn't cast a simple healing spell, then she was just a mere failure and nothing more._

" _Tifa_ _." Someone called her name and she turned around. She saw how her father frowned when he saw her burned hands. He stepped forward, knelt in_ _front of her and examined her palms._

" _You were doing this again." He stated quietly. The corners of her mouth twitched when she nodded silently. He'd_ _cast C_ _ure_ _and started healing her harmed hands. When the skin of her palms healed and disgusting bubbles replaced with delicate pink skin, he looked at his daughter and sighed. "Your mother told you to stop_ _trying to cast_ _spells."_

" _Yes, she told me." She said in a small voice and glanced at her rival, who was training in casting Curaga. Shuyin placed his palm on her cheek and turned her head to look her in her eyes. Her soft chocolate-colored pupils were avoiding him. He bit his bottom lip and spoke:_

" _Then why are you resuming trying use magic? You're a clever girl, Tifa. You can see, that magic isn't your stuff."_

 _Soft brown eyes flared._

" _How you know that?" She spat. "You were the one, who told me that I could cast the spells in the future and that I could do anything with trainings. If I'll resume my trainings, then maybe..."_

" _Then maybe nothing, Tifa." He cut her off. "I don't know why, but you can't use the magic. You should face it." He felt how his heart dropped, when her eyes filled with tears again and he smiled proudly when she didn't let them flow on her cheeks again._

" _I can't." She mumbled. "I'm the future lady of Nibelheim. How can I protect my people, if I can't cast a simple healing spell?" He grimaced when she repeated her mother's words. Those words were still hurting and torturing her. He remembered how angry he was, when Lenne said that. He knew that she wanted to protect her daughter from the meaningless trainings and harms, but her words caused opposite. Tifa bit her lip and mumbled. "How can I protect Nibelheim, if I'm weak, just a mere failure?"_

 _He snorted._

" _Don't listen to your mother." When he saw her surprised face, he chuckled. "Let me show you something." He straightened his spine and quietly murmured the formula of some spell. Suddenly Lenne gaped and wrapped her around her throat. He turned around and explained the woman's reaction to his confused daughter, who was standing petrified. "I had cast Silent on her. Now she can't use magic."_

" _She will burn you in the hellfire for this trick." Tifa spoke and he laughed. Little girl gave him confused expression. "Why you used this spell?"_

" _I showed you, that without their voice, mages are weak." He explained. "But warriors can resume fight even if they can't use their voice."_

 _A dark eyebrow rose._

 _"Are you telling me that I can be a warrior?"_

 _"Of course." The blond replied. "You can be the best warrior in Nibelheim and Gaia. The warrior princess." He chuckled and ruffled her silky brown hair. Then Shuyin extended his hand and smiled warmly. "Now, come with me, daughter of mine, I'll show you the true art of the war and fighting."_

She opened her eyes and stretched lazily. She was suffering because of those dreams. The kind smiles of his father and the soft brown eyes of her mother tortured her in her sleep. She was trying to get over the deaths of her parents, but it was still difficult for her. Her mental wound was still bleeding and her heart was still squeezing from the unbearable pain. But her father taught her to be a strong woman and she would do anything to not disappoint him. Even if it meant to wed the most hated man in her hate-list.

"But today everything is different," She told herself and smiled. Today she was going to spar with The Rebel Lord. She yawned and mentally admitted that he was the only great thing in this godforsaken castle.

* * *

He was watching her from the shadows of the ancient trees. She was wearing grayish-yellow hide pants (what's wrong with her and hide pants?) and green tunic. Her fingers curled around the tilt of a long, narrow sword. The corners of his mouth twitched. She was fighting with a bastard sword.

Her bastard sword was long and light, giving her opportunity to strike fast and fight from the long range. He knew that she was a martial artist and she was stronger than she looked. So, she can strike fast, hard and from the long range. He smirked. Nice thinking.

But she didn't know who she was fighting. Although Noctis disliked blond warrior, he should admit that Strife was a remarkable fighter.  
Noctis saw how Tifa smirked deviously when she saw her opponent's weapon - a large, heavy buster sword. The corners of dark-haired male curled upward. She didn't know what was coming.

Buster sword was a very heavy weapon and no one could master it because of its weight. This weapon was very unpopular because its heaviness slowed its owner and the user was depended on the one, lucky blunt hit. However, Strife mastered it and he could use his sword's brutal strength swiftly. Noctis grinned. Tifa underestimated her opponent. It was her mistake.

Dark-haired woman attacked and Noctis admired her speed. But Cloud was faster. He dodged her blow and swiftly returned the attack. Tifa jumped back and took a second to rest her muscled and concentrate more strength in her forearms.

She smirked and her eyes started burning with new fire. She began dancing around her opponent, dodging his attack with the swift motions and seeking his weak spots. Noctis frowned. Because of those dodges Cloud soon would be tired (even thought his remarkable stamina, his sword still was heavy).

She used her sword's lightness, attacked him with her full power and then swiftly removed one hand from the tilt of her sword and punched him in his chest.  
Noctis grimaced.  
It was a low blow.

"You cheated." Cloud gasped and rubbed his chest. Tifa smirked and slightly slapped him on his arm.

"When you're in the fight, you should use everything to survive. Even if it is cheating." Her mouth twitched when she frowned. "You don't know if your opponent is an honorable man or not."

Cloud grimaced.

"Who taught you that?"

"Commander Genesis Rhapsodos, he was my teacher of swordsmanship." Cloud chuckled and she glanced at him with an interest. "What are laughing about?"

"I'm laughing about that word 'Honor', my mentor always used it before our trainings."

She giggled.

"Looks like your mentor was uncle Angeal."

"No." He scratched the back of his head and smiled sheepishly. "The name of my mentor is Zack."

Her jaw dropped on the grassy ground.

"What? Zack? My cousin? My Zack was your mentor? He taught you how to use a buster sword? So this is why you mastered that weapon. Only Zack and uncle Angeal can fight with the buster sword flawlessly." Her face broke into a wide grin. "I didn't know if you knew Zack, he's a great person."

"He definitely is." Cloud agreed and Noctis frowned. It was his time to break this lovely-dovey moment. He stepped forward and cleared his throat loudly. Tifa turned around and immediately grimaced at the sight of him.

"something's wrong, Your Highness?"  
He shook his head and crossed his arms on his chest.  
"Father is going to hunt today. He wants you to accompany him." Prince's blueberry-colored eyes traveled from Gaian woman's pretty face to Lucian's stone one. "And crow flew to us today, Lord Strife. Your mother sent a letter to you." His pale hand slipped into his black jacket and he revealed a small letter. Cloud quickly took it from the fingers of the prince of Lucis and broke the red wax seal. He opened the letter and quickly read it. His pale eyebrows furrowed.

"What's wrong?" The princess of Gaia asked. Noctis snorted when he saw her concerned eyes. She scowled at him.  
"Mother's not feeling well. She wants me to meet the famous doctor of Gaia tonight and buy the medicine for her illness." The blond explained. Dark-haired prince frowned. Whatever the blond was selling, he didn't buy it. There was something fishy going on.

"Do you need me to accompany you?" Noctis smirked victoriously when Tifa gaped at him. The blond swiftly shook his head. Dark-haired male shrugged and turned at the brunette. "Father calls you, milady. He wants you to keep him company during the audience with the nobles. He also wants you to know that he's going to hunt tomorrow and he needs you to tag along."

"Did his highness want something else too or are you done?" Tifa asked rudely and snorted, biting her lips furiously. When the prince didn't answer, she bowed slightly. "Then I should leave you now, my prince. King Regis needs me."

* * *

She inhaled deeply and glanced at the nobles. Regis slapped his hand at his mouth and politely yawned. Noctis cleared his throat and announced:

"You can start audience, my lords."

The Silver General stepped forward at the prince's words and politely bowed. He coughed into his fist and spoke:

"Your Highness, I received very frightened news from my spies."

Regis straightened his spine and waved. Sephiroth smirked and continued:

"They told me that Lord Edgar is in Lucis now." Regis paled. "He's planning to start a rebellion." Tifa's ears perked and she hid her smile behind her palm.

"Rebellion?" Lady Brahne asked. "But how? Why?"

"I think you know the reasons, Lady Brahne." Sephiroth answered calmly. "Edgar says that he wants to free our country from the tyrant, but we all know the real reason behind this spectacle. Lord Figaro wants the revenge."

Now Tifa definitely was interested in this Edgar Figaro.

"So he's still angry because I stole Terra from him." Regis chuckled and the silver-haired general grimaced.

"Yes, my lord and also, my spies told me, that this Strife-brat is his nephew." His cat-like eyes narrowed. "I think we should arrest him."

"Why?" Kefka spoke calmly. "We must punish this innocent child because of his uncle's faults? Is this your justice, General?" His bright blue eyes pierced Crescent's green ones. "Then we can remember the mistakes of your father and punish you with most painful ways of torturing." He spat. Sephiroth gritted his teeth.

"Mind your tongue, jester, do you forget who you are?"

"Maybe I dress and act like a jester." Kefka answered cooly. "But I'm still a general like you, Sir Crescent and I'm saying that until we don't find the proofs, Strife is innocent and we should leave him alone."

"Kefka's right." Regis said. "We should leave Cloud alone. He's innocent. Yet. And he's a good friend of my fiancee. I don't want to leave her alone in the palace." Tifa felt how her blood boiled in her veins. Did that bastard refer Cloud as her pet or something like that? Her fingers curled into fist and she was ready to punch the crowned man in his face, but someone caught her hand. She raised her burning eyes and saw the calmness of dull blue. Noctis frowned and the grip on her wrist tightened. Regis continued carelessly. "Find Edgar and arrest him, but don't touch the brat." The color drained from Tifa's face and she struggled, tried to reach to Regis and punch him in his face. Hard. Regis clapped again. "This is enough for today, you're dismissed, Ladies and Gentlemen."

* * *

Cloud opened the door of the "Highwind" and stepped inside of it. At the voice of his footsteps, someone rushed from the other room. The oxygen drained from the young man's lungs when the older blond male embraced him tightly.  
"Cloud, my dear nephew." He grinned cheekily. The older man pulled away and examined short male with a critical eye. "You look good in a black, long hair."

"Thanks, uncle." He mumbled. "But this is just a disguise." His uncle shrugged.

"Nah, long hair suits you. You know, I always wondered about your hair. I mean, everyone in your family has a long, fabulous, glorious hair and there you are, looking like a porcupine, which fell in the jar full with a yellow dye."

Cloud freed himself from the arms of his uncle and stared at him blankly.

"Why you asked me to meet you?"

"You know that I want a revenge." His uncle said casually. His eyes darkened. "And I want to free Lucis from Regis."

"And?" Cloud asked.

"And I need your help, Cloud." The long-haired blond pleaded. "You should tell me about everything what is happening in Lucis."

Young man sighed an closed his eyes.

"Regis is going to marry the princess of Gaia." He told his uncle. The older man leaned forward.

"Angeal has a daughter? I didn't know."

Cloud shook his head.

"She isn't Angeal's daughter." He stared at his uncle in his eyes. "She's Lockhart, uncle Edgar."

Edgar gaped at him, petrified.

"He's going to marry Shuyin's daughter?" The lord of Figaro laughed dryly. "Well, that man really can hold a grudge. Her father stole Lenne from him and now he's avenging by marrying Shuyin's daughter." Edgar shook his head. "Well, that's low." He grinned broadly. "Well, we should save the beautiful maiden. Is she beautiful?"

Cloud shrugged.

"She looks like Lenne."

"Then she's definitely a rare jewel." Edgar announced. "We should save her from the clutches of an old, evil man."

Young man groaned.

"What are you planning, uncle?"

The lord of Figaro smirked.

"Returning." Edgar smirked devilishly. "A return of the king of Figaro."


	5. Long Live The King

**Chapter 5.**

Jessie (it was the maid's name) tightened the corset which surrounded the torso of the future queen of Lucis. Tifa held a breath and grasped the back of her chair. This corset was going to kill her. Jessie looked up at her apologetically and slightly loosened silk laces. She tied a bow under the gaian woman's bosom and helped her to dress into a long cotton tunic. Tifa groaned from frustration.

"How am I supposed to hunt in that tight corset?" She mumbled and raised her eyebrows when Jessie stared at her with a confused expression. "What?"

"You aren't supposed to hunt and kill the animals, milady." Young woman replied. "You'll just cheer his highness up."

Dark haired woman rolled her eyes and snorted.

"Great." She mumbled under her breath. "Just great." She glanced at the shorter woman. "By the way, Jessie, how's your mother?"

"She's doing well, milady. Thanks to you."

Tifa grinned and waved.  
"I made another bottle of the healing potion. Go, it's on my desk." Tifa would give the maid the potion with her own hands, but she found walking difficult in her tight corset. Her brows furrowed when Jessie's fingers brushed the soft petals of the purple flower.

"Don't touch it again and go, wash your hands immediately." Tifa shrieked. Jessie jerked and gave her mistress frightened look.  
"Sorry." She mumbled. Tifa relaxed and shook her head.

"I'm sorry, but you should be careful with that flower." Her chocolate brown eyes traveled from the young woman's face to the purple flower. "It's a venomous deathbell, the most poisonous plant. It only grows in Gaia." She smiled at the young girl. "Now take your bottle of potion and go, wash your hands. You need to clean your skin from the poison." Jessie grasped the bottle, slightly bowed and swiftly left the chamber of her mistress.

Tifa sighed, grabbed her bow and went to meet her future husband and stepson. The stable-boy, Wedge, prepared her horse to her. Regis and Noctis were sitting on the tall, yellow chickens. What they called them? Chocobos? Oh, yeah, lucians didn't use horses, they rode with chocobos.

Noctis caressed the soft feathers of his bird. Tifa eyed them curiously.

"You are going to hunt with that?"

He bristled.

"What you don't like in Prompto?"

"He's a bird. A tall, loud bird." Tifa stated when the chocobo, Prompto 'warcked.'

"A clever and loyal bird and my friend." Noctis corrected. Tifa scoffed and eyed her companions.

"Isn't lord Strife coming with us?"

"No, he's in South Figaro." The dark-haired prince answered and narrowed his blue eyes. "Why are you asking, missed your lover yet?"

"What?" Now Tifa narrowed her eyes. "Are you calling me a cheater?"

"Well, technically, you and my father aren't married..."

"You Lucian bastard." Tifa screamed and quickly mounted on her horse. Noctis grinned, hit his chocobo with his heels and ran.

"Gaian Wench." He shouted.

"Lucian Scum." She screamed again and ran after him. "Come here."

Regis chuckled and shook his head.

"Kids."

* * *

She inhaled and loaded an ashen arrow on the string of her beloved ebony longbow. Tifa eyed the dull forest, her ivory fingers curled around the narrow piece of wood tightly. She was ready to pierce any attacker's head with her faithful arrows.

Even though she was young, she wasn't fool and she knew that no one liked her in the palace and hunting was perfect excuse if someone tried and succeeded to kill her. They would get rid of their hateful queen and tell her honorable uncle, that wild boar ran into her or wolf pack attacked the young princess of Gaia and tore her apart.

She bit her lip and frowned.

How lovely.

She heard a voice of soft footsteps and tightened her grip on the ashen arrow. Her eyes were narrowed and her muscles were tense. Her fingers were ready to release the arrow.

Little deer ran from the large trees and Tifa smiled, relaxing her muscles. The grip on her arrow loosened when suddenly something whistled in the air and she instinctively ducked. A large fireball flew above her head and exploded in the air. Tifa jumped forward and tried to escape from the rain of burning shards. She covered her nose and mouth with her wrist and tried to not breath the poisoning smoke of the fireball.

She heard another whistle and jumped to the side, dodging another fireball. The fireball impacted the trunk of a cherry tree and exploded with destructive power. orange flames wrapped around the trunk of a cherry tree and licked the grassy ground and fresh leaves of other trees.  
Heat burned her eyes and suddenly she wasn't in the forest of Lucis anymore. She was in Nibelheim again. Wooden walls were burning. Burned people were screaming. The streets were full with the bodies of burned and sliced nibelheimians. She was watching how a silver-haired demon pierced the heart of her father with his long, narrow sword and how the head of her mother fell on the ground of dead town.

 _"Tifa..."_

 _"Tifa, run!"_

 _"Sir Zangan, take my daughter and leave the town immediately! "_

 _"Run, daughter of mine!"_  
She opened her eyes widely and run directly her horse. Tifa hopped on the back of Arette and pulled the reins closer to her. The mere turned her head to the left and ran. Suddenly a fireball whistled in the air again and hit the left side of the horse  
Tifa grimaced when she felt how the heat of a fire burned her leather boot and the skin of her leg. Her brown eyes watered when she swallowed her cries of pain.

But the pain of burned skin was nothing when the dead mare fell on her right side and the bones of the girl's left leg cracked with a sick voice. She threw her head back and the traitor tears escaped from her eyelids.  
She leaned forward and tried to remove the dead weight from her leg. The bones cracked again and agonizing pain blinded her. She felt like someone thrust its hand in her chest and squeezed her heart tightly, like the peasant squeezes a ripe grape in his fist.

The world blackened around her and she didn't feel how small hands caressed her cheeks and removed the dead mere from her broken leg.

* * *

Her wrists were chained and the rock hard ground was killing her back. She grimaced and tried to move her legs, but it was meaningless. Her broken, swollen leg was laying on the floor uselessly and her left leg was burning with an immortal fire.  
Tifa tried to open her eyes, but she couldn't. She felt like someone placed heavy rocks on her eyelids. Tifa inhaled deeply and struggled again.

"She's fighting." High-pitched voice rang in her ears and she grimaced.  
"She's fighting, but useless it is." Other high-pitched voice responded. "Her eyes and tongue are soaked with the sweet nectar of poppy. Struggling is useless. It's better if she tries to sleep."

"Yes, yes, Thorn." The first voice agreed to the second. "It will be less painful for her."  
Painful?

The corners of dark-haired woman twitched. What they wanted?  
Little fingers brushed the long strands of her hair from her face, wetted by her sweat. She grimaced and struggled again.

"Start, Zorn." The second voice gasped and she felt how the little fingers traveled from her face to her stomach and suddenly she opened her mouth and gasped.  
She felt like someone opened her belly and thrust its hand inside. She pressed her lips in a thin line. She was Tifa Lockhart-Hewley, the lady of Nibelheim, the princess of Gaia, the future queen of Lucis. She wasn't going to scream.  
The hand traveled inside of her, touched her, sought something that she didn't have. Tifa shut her eyes tightly. She wasn't going to scream.

The hand caught something inside of her and Tifa fought the urge to scream again. She wasn't going to scream. She was Tifa Lockhart-Hewley. She wasn't going to scream. The cold sweat covered her forehead. She wasn't going to scream.

The hand grasped that something and pulled out of her stomach. White, hot pain blinded her. Tifa threw her head backward and howled like a she wolf with her leg caught in the iron jaws of the bear- trap.  
"I can't take it from her." The first voice shrieked. "Something is blocking it, like they're blocked."

"Nothing blocked them. They aren't locked." The second voice exclaimed. "She didn't lock them."

"What?" The first voice hissed. "Are you trying to tell me that I'm useless and I can't take them away from her?"

"You are useless, Zorn." The second whispered again. "You can't take them from her, because she doesn't have them. She's empty."

"But it's impossible. She's the descendant of the blood of old Alexandria. She must have something in her."

"But she doesn't have." The second answered with a panicked voice. Little fingertips touched her sweat-covered cheeks and she inhaled deeply, swallowing another wave of cries and howls.

The second one sighed.

"She's an anomaly. A disgrace of the proud house of Alexandros."

"We are in Trouble!"

"Trouble are we in!"

"Master will be angry." The first one said in a sad voice. "He wanted her eidolons."

"Master will punish us." The second screamed. Tifa could smell his fear. "Why?" He cried dramatically. "It's not our fault that she's an anomaly."

"We should punish her, lock her in the depths of our dungeon. It's her fault. Her fault. Her fault."

"Chain her and lock her in the prison. She will rot there. She'll never see the sun."

"She'll never taste the finest wines." The first said jovially. Tifa didn't need to open her eyes to know that he was very excited. "Delicious dishes never touch the tip of her tongue."

"The silk and satin will never caress the skin of hers."

"She will die here, rot here, rats and worms will bite her and eat her whole."

"Let's take her to her grave, Zorn."

Tifa felt how small hands freed her wrist from the tight clutches of chain, lifted her from the ground and took her from the chamber to her grave.

She struggled again and suddenly her kidnappers threw her on the cold, hard floor. She winced when she impacted the stony ground. Her eyelashes fluttered when she tried to open her eyes. Tifa released a breath of relief when someone took the imaginary stones from her eyelids and she opened her eyes.

Her hand reached up to her head and she rubbed her bruised temples. Tifa frowned and glanced at her legs. How she was supposed to leave the dungeon with those legs?

 _'I can help you.'_ A bell-like voice chirped in her mind. _'I'm sending someone to help you.'_

'Huh?'

 _'Be patient, Tifa. Your knight in shining armor is coming.'_  
Tifa frowned. Now even her mind was messing with her head. 'Maybe I have hallucinations because of dehydration.'

 _'I'm not a hallucination.'_ The soft voice growled. Tifa's jaw dropped to the floor.  
'Aerith?'

 _'I don't have enough energy to resume chit-chat, Tifa. Your savior is coming. Wait for him and sleep now. You need an energy to prison break.'_

'Aerith, why are you using your cetra powers? You know this is bad for your health. You still haven't mastered the cetra powers.'

 _'Shh, Tifa, you're more important now. Don't worry about me.'_

'But Aerith...'

 _'Sleep.'_  
Someone placed the heavy stones again on her eyelids.

* * *

Soft voices woke her up. Her muscles tensed and her fingers curled into rock hard fist. If her kidnappers wanted to torture her again, she wouldn't leave them without a good black-eye. Then her eyes adjusted to the darkness and she could see black spikes and dull blue eyes. She gasped.

"Noctis?"  
The man didn't respond. He knelt in front of her and examined her bruised body.  
"How are you feeling?" He quietly asked. His cool fingers gently touched the burned skin of her leg and Tifa swallowed another gasp.

"The skin and flesh of my left leg are burned to the bone and the bones of my right leg are shattered." She answered curtly. Noctis nodded, stood up and unbuckled his belt. Tifa narrowed her eyes.

"What are you doing?"

"You will need this. Now, press your teeth on the leather of the belt, so, you don't bite your tongue from pain."  
Dark-haired woman gulped and nodded. She pressed her teeth on the leather when Noctis knelt again and murmured the formula of Curaga. Greenish light flowed from his palms and wrapped the woman's left leg in its coolness. Tifa immediately gasped from pleasure and closed her eyelids, when the burning fire on her leg disappeared and coolness and scent of fresh mint replaced it. Noctis canceled his magic and examined her leg again.

"The skin and flesh are restored." He grimaced. "Now it's time to use my belt. It will be painful."

Tifa nodded. Of course, it would be painful. The tiny fragments of her bones would cause blinding pain during fixation. They would cut more muscles. She took a long, deep breath and took the belt in her mouth.

Mint-scented aura surrounded her again and she fought her tears when she felt sharp pain in her leg and heard a sick voice of bones cracking. Her fingers grasped the edges of her healer's belt and she inhaled deeply through her nose. She felt how more powerful magic wrapped her in its aura and her eyes widened. He was using Curaja, the most powerful and draining healing spell in the world.  
The pain disappeared and the dark-haired healer removed his hands from the woman's leg. He removed the sweat from his forehead with the back of his hand and glanced at his stepmother, who was panting heavily.

"Can you walk?"

Her legs were shaky. Her body was trembling, but she didn't have a time for weakness. She grasped the brick of a stony wall and stood up. He eyed her carefully and added with a teasing smirk:

"Or should I carry you in a bridal style?"

Tifa glared at him and grasped the brick tighter.  
"I can walk." She answered firmly. Noctis grabbed her hand and guided her from the chamber. She glanced at him with an interest. "How you found me?"  
He shrugged.  
"Some woman screamed at me that I should find you and save you until it was too late. Father already lost any hope of finding you."

"What? Why?"

The prince of Lucis glanced at her.

"You disappeared in the forest week ago. After hunting, when we reunited, we discovered that you weren't with us. We sought you in the forest and only found the ashes of trees and grass and the corpse of your horse."

"Someone was shooting the fireballs at me."

"Father was frightened. Because you know what your uncle would do."

"He would think that you killed me in the forest and then he would start another war." Tifa answered and Noctis nodded again.

"Right. So everyone was scared and then, yesterday night, someone talked to me in my mind and ordered me to search you in the abandoned fortress of Kashuan. I thought I was going insane from worry until she caused a blinding pain in my head and ordered me to get my ass over here."  
Tifa narrowed her eyes.  
"Aerith wouldn't tell you that."

"Right. She said it in a more polite way, but whatever. At least, she was right."

Tifa grinned and felt how pride swell in her chest. Although the green-eyed girl was in Kalm, she was still able to save her friend in the dungeons of some Lucis's castle. Suddenly her grin widened.

"You thought you were going insane from worry? You were worrying about some gaian wench, the great and mighty prince of Lucis?"

'The great and mighty prince of Lucis' snorted.

"Don't flatter yourself. I was worrying about the future of my kingdom. Your death would cause another war. By the way, you saw, who kidnapped you?"

Tifa shook her head.  
"I couldn't see their faces, but they have high-pitched voices. When they spoke, I thought someone was clawing my ears."

"The high-pitched voices, huh?" Dark-haired male scratched his chin. "Well, we should leave this castle as soon as possible."

Suddenly they stopped.

Two little figures were standing in front of them with star-shaped hats on their heads. They clenched their tiny fists and leaned forward.

"They are trying to escape, Zorn."

"Escape they are trying to."

"Should we let them?"

"Master will be angry."

"Angry will be master."

"Then we shall not let them go."

"We'll fight." The midget with a blue outfit screamed and waved his hands frantically. The red one murmured the formula of some spell and Tifa felt, how the heat of Fira burned her skin.

Her fingers curled into fists and she prepared to battle, but her dark-haired companion firmly placed his hand on her bruised forearm. Tifa nodded and stepped back. Even if she wanted to beat the shit out of their ass, she let the dark-haired prince of Lucis to take care of the jesters. Noctis's black rapier slipped out of a dark sheath and she saw how Caelum casted Shell to protect himself from the burning spells of the jesters. The blue midget'd cast Blizzaga, and Tifa watched in awe, how the prince gracefully dodged the magical attack. The dark haired girl narrowed her eyes. How could someone dodge a magical attack.

The red jester aimed a lightning bolt at Noctis. And the prince slipped away again. Tifa's eyes widened and she grinned. That sneaky bastard. He'd cast the Blink spell.

Caelum jumped at the small jesters and the edge of his black, deadly rapier touched the painted skin of the blue midget. Dull blue eyes narrowed and he asked coldly:

"Who ordered you to kidnap the queen of Lucis?"

"You think I'll tell you?" The short jester screamed and struggled, trying to free himself, but his struggles only caused more harm to him. The sharp edge of the black sword kissed and pierced the skin of short man's throat and he gulped. But his eyes remained stubborn.

Noctis sighed, straightened his spine and without batting a lash, his sword beheaded the two short jesters.

Tifa cupped her mouth and shivered. Her watered eyes pierced the back of Noctis, who was too busy with cleaning the blade of his sword with the hem of his black shirt.

"Why you did this?" She asked with a shaky voice. "Why you killed them?"

Noctis turned around and stared at her with an expressionless face. He shrugged.

"Then what should I do? Kiss them and hug them tightly?"

"They deserved a trial, at least." Her brown eyes flared. "And you killed them. You didn't even listen to them. You didn't wait for their answer."

"They wouldn't tell me anything. They were too loyal to their master. Waiting for their answers was a waste of time and I definitely don't have time for meaningless chit-chat."

"You could imprison them. They deserved a trial." She said stubbornly. "You hadn't no right to judge them."

Noctis chuckled.

"Trial? You wanted a trial, Lady Lockhart? You want me to tell you what would the judge say? Guilty! They were guilty, because they kidnapped the member of the royal family and the punishment for this is death." His blue eyes narrowed. "No one messes with the Caelums." He stated calmly and Tifa gulped. She read a double meaning in his words. First, he accepted her as the member of his family and second, he still didn't trust her and if she would try to harm him, his father or his betrothed, he would behead her, like he beheaded those two midgets.

Noctis sheathed his sword and extended his hand to grab her arm, but she yanked off her hand glared at him.

"I can walk myself." She growled and her stepson shrugged.

"Suit yourself." He placed his palms on the double door and pressed it. His muscles tensed when the door started opening. Cool wind escaped in the narrow opening between the doors and caressed Tifa's sweated face. She inhaled deeply. It was, like centuries ago, when she breathed the fresh air. She glanced at dark-haired male.

"Where are we going now?"

"To Gatrea." The prince answered curtly. When he noticed the girl's curious expression, he explained:  
"Gatrea is a small village near. In two hours we will be there. There we can rent the carriage and go to Lucis."

Tifa eyed Noctis's chocobo, which was standing near. What was his name? Pronto or Proto?  
"Why can't we ride Pronto to Lucis?"

"His name is Prompto." Noctis corrected. "And he's tired. We'll leave him in Gatrea and rent the carriage."  
Tifa gaped at him.  
"You're leaving your chocobo in Gatrea? Alone?"

"Who you think I am? Some cold-hearted bastard? Of course, I'm not leaving him alone. He will stay with Ignis, my friend."

Well, only the cold-hearted bastard could behead a human without batting an eye, but this cold-hearted bastard saved her after all, so she didn't argue and just nodded. . Lucian mounted on the chocobo and extended his hand to help her to mounting on the giant bird. She sat behind him and wrapped her hands around his torso. He smirked, when she leaned forward and murmured in his ear:  
"You know, I'm glad that you saved me, but still, you are a rotten Lucian scum."  
His smirk widened.  
"And you are stubborn Gaian wench."

* * *

Tifa could tell, that Regis indeed was going to crazy from worry. First, the princess of Gaia and future queen of Lucis disappeared and then the prince and future king of Lucis escaped from the palace. So, when he saw his dear son and not-so-dear fiancée, he immediately ordered to prepare a feast. A grand feast. Then he glared at his son, who was wearing a stoical expression on his face and growled:

"What were you thinking about when you left the palace without warning and disappeared like a smoke in the air, prince Noctis?"

"I was thinking about your fiancée and how could I save her from the clutches of your enemies, your majesty." Prince answered curtly and Tifa shifted uncomfortably.

Regis narrowed his eyes.  
"My enemies? Who dared to kidnap my future wife, son of mine?"

"They didn't tell me their names."

"Zorn and Thorn." Tifa butted in their conversation. When the both Caelums looked at her, she shrugged. "What? I heard their names."

"What they wanted from you, milady?" Regis asked her politely and Tifa bit her cheek. Should she tell how the two midgets tried to take her non-existent eidilons? Then she scoffed mentally. Even if this old man was her future husband, she still didn't trust him and she wasn't going to tell him about her non-existent magical powers. She shrugged nonchalantly.

"I don't know."

Regis nodded and glanced at his son.

"Where are the kidnappers?"

Dull blue eyes of the young prince froze.

"I killed them."

Regis nodded again and Tifa raised an eyebrow. What is wrong with this guy? He was nodding like some crazy man.

"Care to tell me, how you found our dear princess of Gaia, son of mine?"

"I'm afraid I can't tell you, father." And Tifa stifled her laugh. Of course, the young prince wasn't going to tell his father how some crazy woman screamed in his mind to move his bottom and save the dark-haired princess.

Regis would think his son was a crazy one.

The king of Lucis shook his head and sighed.  
"I'm afraid, I have horrible news for you, Noctis. Your aunt is lying on the deathbed. Her last wish is to see you before she joins your mother in the Lifestream."  
Noctis narrowed his eyes.  
"Aunt Celes is dying? Why didn't you tell me earlier?"

"I didn't know either. Celes is a strong woman and she masked her illness perfectly, until Geostigma defeated her. I think, it was Setzer, who decided to report us about his wife's health."

Setzer was Regis's sister's husband? Wasn't Setzer Strife Cloud's father? Cloud was Noctis's cousin? Tifa rubbed her forehead. What the hell?  
Noctis fastened the buckle of his cloak and turned around. Tifa grabbed his hand.  
"You're going now?"

"How you think?"

"But you're tired and hungry. You will die on the way."

"I'm much stronger than you think, milady. Besides, South Figaro is near. I will be there in two days."

Tifa nodded. She knew that arguing was meaningless. When someone, who's dear to you, is dying, you don't care about yourself. You just want to be with them until their last breath. She released his hand and mumbled under her breath:  
"Take care of yourself."  
He grinned at her.  
"What did you say, milady? Are you growing a soft spot for me?"

She opened her mouth to answer him, but it was late. He already left the hall of the palace of Lucis. Tifa shook her head and smiled.  
'Lucian Scum.'

"I think, you need to prepare for the feast, Lady Lockhart." King said politely. "Jessie already prepared a bath for you."

Tifa nodded and went to her bath chamber. She sniffed the air and she sensed the sweet aroma of orchids and jasmines. Jessie was standing in front of the bathtub with a soft sponge and soap in her hands. Tifa swiftly took her clothes off and slipped me the porcelain tube.

Warm water caressed her scarred skin and she could feel how Jessie washed her back with a soaped sponge. the sweet scent of orchids replaced unbearable aroma of dirty prison and the soft sponge freed her skin from the dirt and blood.

Jessie done the washing and helped her mistress to dress in rose hued dress. Young maid began to heat up the curling iron and swiftly grabbed the purple flower from the alchemy desk and hid it in the pocket of her apron before Tifa noticed it.  
The girl curled young princess's locks and smiled at her approvingly.

"King will be astonished, my lady. You look like the goddess Shiva."  
Tifa scoffed. Like hell she needed to astonish the old king of Lucis and like hell she cared about it. But the dark-haired woman still smiled. When someone says a compliment to you, it's impolite to not smile and Tifa Hewley was everything but an impolite woman.  
Jessie grabbed her hand.

"Feast will start soon, my lady. I can take you to dinning room."  
Tifa nodded. Even after the few days she lived in this godforsaken castle, she still couldn't remember where the goddamn room was.  
Jessie guided her into a large room and Tifa could see a long table with different meals on it. King noticed them and smiled politely.  
"Tifa, my dear fiancée, come and sit beside me."

And Tifa fought the urge to punch the old man in his face. 'One more time he calls me his dear fiancée and I'll kill him with my own hands.' She swore.  
But she smiled pleasantly when she sat beside the king. Jessie gave her a sympathetic smile and brought two glasses, full with the finest wine in Lucis.

Regis swallowed a large gulp, grimaced and glanced at the dark-haired girl.  
"Care to tell me how Zorn and Thorn kidnapped you, my lady?" "They used the fireballs to kill my horse and when she fell on my leg, I fell in unconscious from the pain." "How those two mages looked?" Regis asked again and swallowed another large gulp of wine. Tifa frowned.  
"Like clowns."

Regis nodded and suddenly paled. The sweat covered his forehead and nose. His dark-haired companion noticed his paleness and stood up.  
"Are you feeling bad? Do you want to leave the feast?" "Yes." The king gasped. "Can you take me to my room, Tifa?"  
Tifa nodded and helped him to stand up and leave the dinning room. Fortunately, the king's bedroom was near and Regis didn't suffer too much from the pain during the walk. Tifa laid him on the covers and wiped the sweat from his forehead with her handkerchief.

"Don't sweat on me, Tifa." Regis told her calmly. "I'm beyond the help."  
Tifa stopped.  
"What?"

"My wine was poisoned. Someone used the nectar of Deathbell and poisoned my drink."

He took a long breath and continued. "This is why I sent Noctis in South Figaro."  
Tifa looked at him with a puzzled expression.  
"This is why you sent him? Wasn't your sister ill?"

"It needs more than Geostigma to kill my sister." Regis smiled dryly. "I knew that the Crownless Emperor would try to kill me and my son today. I couldn't let him lie a single finger on my son." He stared at Tifa. "When I die, they'll blame you, because I was poisoned with the venom of Deathbell and Deathbell only grows in Gaia."

"Deathbell always was the weapon of the gaians." Tifa murmured.  
"Yes, my lady. You should leave the castle as soon as possible. They won't start searching you, until I'm alive." He inhaled deeply and stared at her pleadingly. "Go to South Figaro and please, Lady Lockhart, take care of my son. He's a good man and he will be a good king. I know that you hate Caelums, but I know that you care about the Lucians and Gaians. If you don't care about my son's life, then protect him for the sake of the future of Lucis and Gaia."  
Tifa frowned.  
"Noctis won't believe that it wasn't me, who killed you."

"Tell him that the Crownless Emperor is trying to take the throne and he will understand." He inhaled again. "Now leave, until I'm still alive."  
Tifa nodded and left the chamber. Regis smiled and closed his eyes.

"I'm glad that you give my daughter a chance to live." A soft voice murmured in his ear. His smile widened.

"I couldn't face you if I've left her in the hands of Mateus, Lenne."

The ghost of his deceased friend chuckled and he frowned.

"I wanted to ask your forgiveness. It was my fault that Sephiroth killed you and Shuyin."

"Don't sweat about it, Regis. I know that you didn't order him to kill us and burn Nibelheim."

"But I've let him live. I've let him carry the proud name of lucian general like he didn't do nothing."

"You couldn't do anything, Regis. He was a famous general and hero. If you punished him, you would be more hated from your people."

"But, Lenne..."

"Stop arguing and save your breath, you're giving our daughter less time to survive." Another voice butted into the conversation and Lenne shook her head.  
"He's still angry."  
Regis didn't respond.

* * *

The tall woman was watching from the window how a dark-haired girl ran from the castle.  
"She's escaping." She stated.  
"Let her escape." A male voice answered her lazily. The woman turned and glared at him.  
"Let her escape? Then who will be our scapegoat?"

"Her escape only gives us more proof that she killed our precious king. Besides, that old fart is still alive, we can't blame her for the killing king." He smirked. "Not yet."

The woman crossed her hands against her chest and narrowed her eyes.  
"Lucians hated the king. Maybe after this blaming thing she will be a hero in their eyes instead of the wanted criminal." "Maybe Lucians hated the king, but when they'll hear about his death, they'll only remember how gentle and kind man he was. _De mortuis aut bene aut nihil_." He said in a melodic voice. "It's an axiom, my dear."

The woman eyed him cautiously.  
"Why are you so confident about this?"  
The man shrugged nonchalantly.  
"We are the mind and people are body. We'll tell them that Regis was a good man, a good king and he saved them from the chains. And they'll believe it. They'll believe anything what I say, because." His lips curved into a broad smile. "Because the body always listens and obeys the mind."

* * *

 **A/N: Agh, finally, I updated. At first, I want to thank my reviewers. Your reviews mean a lot for me. Second, I want to apologize because of my grammar. Well, English isn't my mother tongue, so please, bare with me.**

 **Err, I changed the title and summary. The words "Unbowed, Unbent, Unbroken" are the motto of the house Martell of "A Song Of Ice And Fire" (My favorite house in the entire saga). Well, my inspiration was "A Song Of Ice And Fire," but I'm not a merciless bastard like George R.R. Martin, so I won't kill too many characters in the future chapters.**

 **Also, little appendix for the readers, who didn't play the other Final Fantasies.**

 **Gatrea - (Gatea, Gathea) A village in Final Fantasy II.**

 **Kashuan - A region in Final Fantasy II.**

 **Setzer Gabbiani (In this fic Setzer Strife) - A character in Final Fantasy VI.**

 **Celes Cherre (In this fic Celes Strife) - A character in Final Fantasy VI.**

 **Edgar Roni Figaro - A character in Final Fantasy VI.**

 **Sabin Rene Figaro - A character in Final Fantasy VI.**

 **Zorn, Thorn - Characters in Final Fantasy IX.**

 **Noctis Lucis Caelum - Main protagonist in Final Fantasy XV.**

 **Regis Lucis Caelum CXIII - A character in Final Fantasy XV.**

 **Lenne (In this fic Lenne Hewley) - A character in Final Fantasy X-2.**

 **Shuyin (In this fic Shuyin Lockhart) - Character in Final Fantasy X-2.**

 **Prompto Argentum (In this fic Noctis's chocobo) - A character in Final Fantasy XV.**

 **Also, the words ' _De mortuis aut bene aut nihil'_ mean: 'When you're talking about dead people, say either good or nothing.'**

 **P.s. Can you tell me what you think about characters? I'm trying to portray them as 'gray guys,' neither good, nor bad characters. I'm trying to maintain the balance.**


	6. The Rise Of The Returners

**Chapter 6.**

Cid Highwind stuck another cigarette in his mouth and glanced at his customers. Everyone knew him, everyone was familiar to him except one dark-haired woman with a long, crimson cape on her shoulders, who was currently sitting in front of him and watching the blond bartender carefully. Cid noticed she wasn't local. Lucians didn't have dark brown hair and brown eyes like her. These hair and eyes were features of southern people, Gaians and Wutaians.

Cid narrowed eyes and eyed her. Her hands were rough and calloused. Everyone would think that she was some peasant woman, but the color of her skin sold her. Peasants didn't have skin pale like ivory. He smirked. Even though that girl was trying her best to hide her identity, Cid still guessed who she was and what she was doing in an old, filthy bar like 'Highwind.' He leaned forward and poured her cup.

"So." He began. "What are ya doing here, gal?"

The woman tasted the bitter liquid that filled her cup and grimaced. Every doubt vanished from the blond's mind and his smirk widened. Of course, a noble woman, who was raised on sweet wines, couldn't stand on ale. After all, it was a drink for the lowborn people.

"I was going to South Figaro and stopped here." She explained, swallowed another gulp and grimaced again. She was definitely a noble woman.

"South Figaro?" Cid repeated. "Why the hell are ya going in South Figaro?"

"I'm going to my aunt." She answered without thinking. "She has Geostigma and wants to see me."

"Aunt, huh?" Cid recalled, how a certain raven-haired prince told him same words. "So, where are ya coming from? You don't look like a Lucian woman."

"I'm half Wutaian."

'Half Wutaian, my ass.' Cid wanted to say, but it's rudeness to say such words in front of the princess of Gaia. He bit his cigarette and looked her straight in her eyes. What she was doing here?

"Bar is closing." He announced, but when the girl got up, he grabbed her wrist. "You can stay, gal. We have inn for travelers too." Like hell he was going to let her roam in the dull woods now. Cloud would bite his head off, if something happened to her. That chocobo-butt brat had a soft spot for this girl.

"No, I should walk faster now." The girl protested. "It's a matter of life and death." She dropped two Gil on the bar and freed herself from his grasp. Cid bit his lip. He was still too young to die.

"You can't see anything now." He scoffed. "Stay here and tomorrow I'll rent you my chocobo. You will be in South Figaro in ten hours."

Princess of Gaia bit her lip and nodded. Smart girl!

Cid waited, until everyone left his bar, then glanced at the dark-haired girl.

"Everyone left, now tell me, why are you going to South Figaro?"

The girl gave him a puzzled expression.

"I told you, I'm going to see my aunt."

"And I'm not buying this shit." Cid bit his cigarette again and tasted the bitter taste of Lucian nicotine. When the girl looked up at him with an unbreakable gaze, he sighed. "Listen to me, girl, six hours ago, the prince of this goddamn country told me how his aunt suffered from Geostigma in South Figaro and if you aren't the unknown niece of Celes Strife, tell me, why is the princess of Gaia and queen of Lucis going to South Figaro?"

The girl narrowed her eyes.

"Noctis was here?"

Cid took the cigarette out of his mouth and spat in his cup of vodka.

"Noctis and his chocobo-ass cousin too."

The dark-haired girl leaned forward.

"Are you talking about Cloud?"

"Yeah." Cid yawned. "Now tell me, why are you going to South Figaro?"

"I need to tell something important to lady Celes." The girl answered carefully. "It's a message from the king."

"What message?"

The girl narrowed her eyes.

"Only Lady Celes has the right to listen it."

Cid hid his smirk. So, she didn't trust the other people easily. He coughed in his fist and pointed at guestroom.

"You can sleep here, girl. Tomorrow, you'll sit on my goddamn chocobo and get out of my fucking sight."

The girl grinned at him. Seems, like she saw that cursing was just a bad habit of his.

"Aye, aye, captain."

Cid scratched his head and sighed.

"And, girl, if you meet someone with blond hair and blue bandana on his head, tell him that goddamn Cid Highwind sent you. He knows the shortest ways to South Figaro."

Brown eyes narrowed.

"Should I trust you?"

"If you want to reach South Figaro as soon as possible, you should. And be careful in the woods there are plenty of filthy robbers, who would slit your pretty throat for yourpretty sword. Now get out of my fucking sight, your room is upstairs."

* * *

Tifa halted her chocobo when she heard cursing and shouts. Her trip in the woods was safe, no robber encountered her.

The curses became louder and her gloved hand reached for her bow. Her brows furrowed.

No robber encountered her, because they were already too busy with robbing another one.

She jumped off her chocobo and loaded an arrow on the string of her bow. Her muscles tensed when she neared the source of curses and shouts. She inhaled deeply and prepared herself to shoot the arrow at any moment.

She could see four armed robbers and one unarmed man with his hands on his head. Her sharp eyes noticed his silver-blond hair and light blue bandana, that covered part of his head. Tifa sighed silently. So, this man was supposed to guide her and he even couldn't defend himself properly.

"Give us your money and you'll leave this forest alive." One of the bandit's spoke and aimed his throwing knife at the blond man. "Or keep struggling and we'll kill you and take your money from your cold corpse."

The blond man scratched his head and Tifa noticed how the robbers tensed when he moved. She huffed and removed the arrow from the string of her bow. Those cowards. They weren't even worthy to take her arrow in their flesh. The dark-haired beauty cracked her knuckles. She was going to beat them to the pulp.

But before she interrupted them, the blond man smirked and swiftly slipped a long, narrow knife out of his boot. The speaker of the robbers jumped backward, but apparently the blond had longer arms than the speaker thought and he swiftly slit robber's throat. The fresh blood of robber's covered his face when he ducked and dodged the attack of another enraged robber. Another knife flashed in his hands and he threw it at the attacker. He smirked and wiped the blood off his face with the back of his hand.

"Do you still want my money?" He asked with a charming smile and rolled his eyes when the remained men charged. Tifa noticed a sharp war axe in one of the robber's hands and jumped forward, delivering a roundhouse kick to his head. She turned and saw how the blond man quickly finished his prey. Tifa shifted uncomfortably at the sight in front of her. The man was entirely covered with the blood of dead bandits. He noticed her gaze and smiled reassuringly at her.

"Oh, sorry for the mess, but leaving them alive would be a foolish act. They would rob the people, who couldn't defend themselves." He sighed and cleaned his forehead with his blue bandana. "Can I get the name of my savior?"

Tifa bit her lip. She wasn't a big fan of cold-blooded killers, but this man only defended himself, right?

"Tifa." She informed him. "Tifa Lockhart."

The man cocked his head to the side.

"So, you're the famous princess of Gaia?" He smiled at her. "My name is Locke Cole. It's a honor for me to meet you, m'lady."

Tifa gaped at him. Could he be...

"You're the Locke Cole? The famous Thief, who found Phoenix? My mother told me stories about you."

Cole scowled at her.

"Not a thief, a treasure hunter." He corrected sternly and pinched the bridge of his nose. "Now, where is the princess going?"

"To South Figaro."She answered quickly. "I have a message to lady Celes."  
She noticed how Cole stiffened at the mentioning of Celes Strife. Tifa bit her bottom lip and continued:

"Cid Highwind told me that you know shortest ways to South Figaro."

The thief, no, the treasure hunter narrowed his eyes.

"And what, if I know?"

"It's a very important message. I should be in South Figaro as soon as possible. You should help me. If you need money..."

"I have plenty of money." Locke sighed and waved his hand. "I don't need Gil. Besides, I have a business in South Figaro too."

Tifa grinned brightly and mounted on her chocobo. Locke cleaned his knife and glanced at her.

"So, what your mother told you about me?"

"Well..."

* * *

Edgar watched his sister, who was writing something on the paper.

"You can stop writing, sis and now tell me, why is the son of Caelum here?"

Celes stopped writing and looked up at him.

"You know, I can't kick him out. He's my nephew."

Edgar rolled his eyes and scoffed.

"You can't call his father your brother."

"I am law-related to Regis. He's as much my brother as Shuyin was to you. Besides, he's Terra's son too. Terra would be angry if she heard your suggestions."

"Terra is dead. Regis killed her, if you remember." Edgar gritted in his teeth. "And Terra is the reason why this Caelum bastard is still alive."

Long, marble-colored fingers curled around the pen tightly.

"You won't touch Noctis."

"Not in your house."

"Not in my house, not in my town, not in my country." Celes gazed her handwriting and dipped the pen in ink. "You can stop acting, Edgar. This Returner's stuff is just a lie, masking the true reason of your rebellion. You're a simple-minded man, dear brother, the only thing you want is Regis's blood on your sword."

"Revenge isn't the only reason." Edgar argued. "I really want to free the country..." A loud knocking interrupted them and he sighed. Celes placed the pen on her desk and cleared her throat.

"Come in."

The door opened and Locke appeared in sibling's sight. Behind him was tall, long-haired girl, who was clutching the hem of her tunic tightly.

"Locke." Celes greeted him warmly. "It's good to see you again." Her emerald eyes traveled from the treasure hunter to the girl. "Who is that young lady?"

'Young lady' stepped forward.

"I'm Tifa Lockhart-Hewley, my lady. The princess of Gaia and betrothed of the king Regis." She licked her dry lips. "I have an important message to you."

Celes nodded and waved.

"Go ahead, child."

"King Regis sent me. Before he died, he told me that The Crownless Emperor is trying to take the throne and crown."

"Before he died?" The ruler of South Figaro narrowed her eyes. "How my brother died?"

"Someone poisoned him. They used the venom of Gaian Deathbell, so the king thought that Lucians would suspect me. This is the reason, why I left the palace."

Edgar rolled his eyes.

"Leaving castle wasn't necessary, everyone could've bought the poison and murder the king."

"It was necessary." The new voice spoke in the room and everyone turned their faces to see how the prince of Lucis entered the room. He crossed his arms on his chest and gave them an empty look. "They would bribe the witnesses and blame her anyway. The whole palace was in the hands of The Crownless Emperor when I left it."

"How?" His aunt asked him. "How could this possible happened? How you let him to take everything in his hand? And who is this Crownless Emperor?"

Noctis shrugged.

"We had a traitor in the palace." His sharp blue eyes trailed to Edgar. "And if you want to know the identity of The Crownless Emperor, his name is Mateus Domitor Figaro. He's the illegitimate son of Terra Brandford and Edgar Roni Figaro." Dull blue jewels pierced clear sapphire ones. "He's your son and my half-brother, my lord."

Celes bit her lip and looked at her brother.

"So, what you will do now, brother? Will you rise your forces against The Crownless Emperor?"

Edgar smiled at her.

"Sorry for disappointing you, dear Celes, but the revenge wasn't the only reason of my rebellion. I truly want to free Lucis from tyrant and it doesn't matter, if this tyrant is Caelum or Figaro."

"So you will fight against your son?" Tifa asked carefully. Edgar shrugged.

"I didn't know if I had a son until now. Besides, I'm not going to kill him, right? And I think, Terra wouldn't want to see her son like this." He glanced at the sky through the window and mumbled. "But we can't just snap our fingers and start the rebellion. We need an army, money and everyone in Lucis, who can wield the sword, would fight against us. Mateus wouldn't attack the royal family if he hadn't enough forces."

"We have money. We can take the treasure out of the locked rooms of Figaro Castle and sell it." Celes replied him.

"Yes, we have money, but we don't have the army. Locke, go and find everyone who wants money and can use a sword or knife or any weapon." Locke nodded and Edgar sighed. "It isn't enough. It's far from enough." He bit his lip. "And we need weapons and armors too."

"The money won't be enough for both, Weapons and army." Noctis noted and Edgar frowned at him.

"We know that, Captain Obvious, can you tell us what we should do?"

Noctis shrugged.

"We should steal the weapon in Zozo."

"Huh, are you... You know, it's actually a good idea. Tifa, Noctis, you'll go to Zozo and steal the weapon."

"What?" Tifa squeaked. "No, no, no. I'm not going to steal. Stealing is bad. I'm not going to do that."

"Tifa." A new voice called her and Cloud appeared on doorstep. "Zozo is town of thieves and criminals. Stealing from them isn't wrong. Besides, Lucis has an arsenal in Zozo. It will be the first attack on Mateus."

"Standing behind the door, listening to the chat and then appearing like a badass, you're too old for this, Cloud." Celes mumbled and turned, facing Tifa. "But he's talking the truth, Child. Stealing from the thieves isn't wrong."

"But I know nothing of stealing."

"Don't worry, Child. You're not going to slip your fingers in their pockets. You just need to kick the guards in their vital spots and Cloud told me that you're good at doing that." Celes grinned wickedly. "Just beat them and Cloud and Noctis will do everything else."

Cloud raised an eyebrow.

"Am I going to Zozo too?"

"Of course, dear son of mine. Three is better than two, am I right, Locke?"

"Yes." The thief mumbled and lowered his eyes. Celes grinned and waved her hand.

"You're dismissed, dear friends. Edgar, you can stay here. I want you to talk about our future plans."

Edgar watched silently how everyone left the room, then he smirked at his sister.

"You're sending these two with her? You're an evil woman, Celes."

"Why? The tension between them is so strong. Just like the old days, when I, Locke and Setzer were in one group." She returned smirk to her brother. "It will be an interesting trip for all three of them."

* * *

The blond woman combed her hair and watched at her reflection in the silver mirror. Her lover brushed his lips over her shoulder. She stopped combing her hair and placed her hair-comb on her chair.

"Noctis is still alive."

The man stopped kissing and looked at her.

"And?"

"He can start a rebellion." She answered curtly. "He's the rightful heir of the throne. You can't take his rights from him."

The man frowned at her.

"Why?"  
"Why what? He's the goddamn prince, Mateus. You can't take it from him."

Mateus straightened his spine and gave her a cold look.

"And so what, if he's the rightful king of Lucis? He's the king of nothing. He has nothing but a lame title and that filthy title is nothing against the swords I have." His cold blue eyes narrowed. "You think, people will fight for him, because of his house? Because of his name? You're wrong, the dear lady of mine. They won't even raise a single finger, because they fear me more than they love him." Mateus crossed his arms over his chest. "And if you're so worried about his title, I'll give him a nice backstory."

The woman felt how her blood froze in her veins.

"What backstory?"

"How the prince of Lucis died years ago and how the old king replaced him with an imposter." He grinned wickedly. "Sounds familiar to you?"

The ivory fingers clutched the comb tightly.

"You are using the story of my life."

The Crownless Emperor cocked his head.

"What story? Are you an imposter? Did you replace someone?"

The blond woman trembled.

"You bastard, you know to well that I'm not the real one."

"What real one?" The man grabbed her chin tightly and she winced. "Are you telling me, that you aren't our dear lady? You're the daughter of some peasant? You know how the king punishes liars?"

The woman freed herself from him and lowered her head.

"I know."

"Good." The man said."Don't forget who you're, because the world definitely won't forget it, Lunafreya Nox Fleuret." He leaned forward and murmured in her ear. "And if you call me again 'bastard' or something like that, I'll slit your throat in your sleep, I promise." He narrowed his eyes. "Got it, dear?" When the woman nodded he smiled warmly at her. "Now, go to sleep, dear. Tomorrow we'll officially start searching our scapegoat queen."

* * *

 **He he he, Celes, you naughty woman.**

 **Er, I wanted to thank everyone, who read and reviewed the fifth chapter. Thanks, guys and dear Sunflowerspot, thank you, thank you, thank you. Your positive reviews always give me the strength to continue my stories. ^_^ I can't update often because of my goddamn school, but still, I'll try to update as soon as possible.**

 **Bye, guys, may Odin be with you.**


	7. To Steal From Thieves

**Chapter 7.**

Tifa loaded arrow on the string of her ebony longbow and scowled at the Lucian prince, who was frowning at her.

"Will you stop that?" She hissed. "You're looking at me like I already missed the target."

"You will miss." He declared and his frown deepened. "You never killed anyone in your life, I can tell. You can't kill them."

Her eyebrows furrowed.

"You think, I'm going to shoot the arrow in their heads and kill them?"

"You aren't? You just shoot the arrow in the air or wound their feet and arms? You can just scream that we're here to steal their weapons, you know? Maduin, help me, it was supposed to be a secret mission."

Tifa growled and felt how her muscles tensed. She started recalling the reasons, why she shouldn't shoot the arrow directly at the crowned prince of Lucis.

"Will you shut up?" She spat. "I poisoned my arrows. Yes, I will shoot them in their feet and hands and paralyze them. Now, please shut your mouth and let me do my job."

"Savage." He mumbled. "They will bleed to death without taking care on their wounds. You're still killing them."

"I mixed the paralyze poison with the slow poison. It will slow their heartbeats and they won't bleed too much." She answered. "And we will have forty free minutes to steal the arsenal from the thieves."

Noctis eyed her.

"The bow is too long, have you enough strength to reach for them with your arrows?"

"You shouldn't underestimate her strength, cousin." Cloud spoke and winced when he remembered his sparring with her. Now, Noctis was frowning at him too.

Tifa took a deep breath and let her arrow go. The slender piece of the finest ash of Lucis whistled in the air and pierced the right shoulder of the guard. The dark-haired archer quickly loaded and shot another arrow. The second guard was down too.

"The entrance is clear." Tifa murmured. "We can enter the town now."

The three 'Returners' silently entered Zozo. Tifa shifted and wrapped her cape tightly around her. Her long, ebony-colored hair was moist from the rain. She bit her bottom lip and grabbed her bow tightly. Long, gloved fingers took another arrow out of her quiver and loaded it on the bow. Walking with a loaded bow consumed a lot of her stamina, but she was trained archer and martial artist. She could walk miles with a loaded bow without taking a break.

"Do we have the plan of the building of arsenal?" She whispered. "We just can't roam in the building, you know?"

"Of course we have the plan." Noctis replied her. "The arsenal is beneath the pub. Three men are guarding the door of level zero and five men guard the entrance of arsenal."

"And we're supposed to walk through them without them noticing us? Sorry, but I'm not an assassin. I can't muffle my footsteps."

"No, you can kick their asses if you want. Or shoot them your arrows. Or you can stab them in their stomach with your sword. You have free choice, but we won't need it."

"Huh?" She jerked her head. "What? Then why I shot the guards?"

"We didn't have the permit to pass the entrance, but in the city, we're free. Just keep it down, we don't need the unwanted attention." Cloud explained and narrowed his eyes. "I can see the pub."

"Where?" Tifa raised her head and tried to see the building. "Oh, I can see it too." She winced. "Exactly how we are planning to enter the building of arsenal?"

"With this." Noctis unsheathed his black sword. "It's _Excalibur_ , the legendary sword, crafted from Adamantite. We will tell them, that we want to exchange my sword in something greater."

Tifa pursed her lips.

"So we don't have the plan."

"Excuse me? What you don't like in my plan?"

"It's not a plan. What if they won't want to exchange their weapon in ours?"

"Then they will taste the blade of my sword on their skin." Noctis rolled his eyes and sheathed his sword. Tifa glared at him.

"I thought our plan was to do our job silently, without violence. _We don't need the unwanted attention._ " She repeated his words.

"But if..."

"Will you two stop arguing?" Cloud hissed. "We don't know what will happen until we offer them exchange."

"And what if they decline?" Tifa argued. Cloud shrugged.

"Use your imagination, milady." Tifa rolled her eyes. The Rebel Lord glanced at his companions and hissed. "Act naturally, we're entering the pub."

Noctis scowled at them and opened the door of the pub. The thick cloud of the smoke of cigarette's and the disgusting smell of alcohol immediately filled the nostrils of newcomers. Tifa cringed and tried to not faint in the building. Her knees slightly buckled and she was about to fall on the mud-stained floor, when a strong hand gripped her arm. She raised her head and met familiar cerulean eyes.

"Thank you." She mumbled and Cloud nodded. She coughed. "How can they sit here, in this smell and smoke?"

"They smoke and drink here since their childhood. The smell doesn't bother them." Cloud answered and eyed the crowd. "Can you see Gilgamesh?" He asked Noctis quietly.

"He's at the bar." The prince of Lucis answered. His shoulders relaxed when he changed his posture. "Follow me." He moved forward and in a few large steps the dark-haired man was in front of bar. Noctis cleared his throat and knocked on the bar.

"One bottle cider." He told the bartender and glanced at the man next of him. "You're Gilgamesh?"

The man turned to face the newcomer and Tifa was able to see his features now. His hair was reddish brown and two cat-like ears were adorning his head. His right eye was red and he was carrying a bow and a quiver of arrows. The dark-haired girl gulped. Was this Gilgamesh Miqo'te? Her inner voice told her that he wasn't.

"Gilgamesh isn't here today." Miqo'te answered and Tifa could see how the tiny drops of sweat covered the forehead of the prince of Lucis. Her shoulders tensed. _'Crap.'_ Miqo'te glanced at the trio. "My name is G'raha Tia. Can I help you?"

Noctis bit his lip.

"Actually, yes." He answered and his glove-covered fingers wrapped around the hilt of _Excalibur._ The sword slipped out of the leather sheath and reflected the light of candles. "I want to exchange this into something."

G'raha Tia eyed the weapon cautiously.

"Can I hold it?" He asked and his fingers touched the polished metal. "What you want for this?"

"It's _Excalibur_ , give me something that surpasses it." When the Miqo'te scoffed, Noctis shrugged. "I can add money, if you wish."

G'raha Tia shrugged and placed the sword on the bar. He crossed his hands over his chest and shrugged.

"I've heard that Excalibur has many replicas. I'm not the blademaster, so I can't tell, if this sword is a real one or not. You should wait for Gilgamesh."

"When will be Gilgamesh here?" Cloud hissed.

G'raha Tia shrugged again and Tifa fought the urge to grab his shoulders. What's wrong with this guy and shrugging?

"In a week or two."

' _Crap. Crap. Crap.'_

Her brown eyes eyed the Miqo'te and his quiver again. The long, gloved fingers gripped the ebony bow tightly. Uncle Angeal gave her it when she was seventeen. She bit her bottom lip. Uncle Angeal wouldn't be angry because of this, right?

"What about a bow?" She chirped and three pair eyes landed on her. She placed her bow on the bar, next of Excalibur and squirmed. "It's made of Gaian Ebony."

The red eye brightened. Miqo'te swiftly stood up and brushed his fingers on the smooth surface of the bow.

"The finest wood of Gaia and the feather-shaped ornaments, shimmering like the gods forged them in the celestial anvil." He gasped. "Is this the legendary 'Raven Feather'?

"Yes." Tifa squeaked.

"Why you have this bow? No, don't answer this question. I don't care. What you want for this bow?" G'raha Tia's fingers gripped the wood tightly. "I'll pay everything."

"Let me see your arsenal and I'll tell you what we want in exchange of this bow." Noctis butted in the conversation. G'raha Tia nodded and pointed at the exit of the pub. Tifa sighed when the tow men left the building.

"What we should do now?" She asked Cloud. The blond man shrugged.

"Keep our eyes on the crowd. We don't want anyone to see how Noctis proves on the skins of guards that his sword is the original one."

"Right." His female companion answered and fought the sick feeling in her stomach. She squirmed again. "How he's going to steal the weapons? Does he have any experience?"

The edge's of the blond man curved upwards.

"We both are trained by Locke." When she gaped at him, he shrugged. "What?"

"He taught you how to steal?" She gasped. "What the king was thinking?"  
Cloud shrugged.

"It was his idea. Regis always thought that everyone needs to have a job. You don't know when it will be useful."

Tifa raised an eyebrow.

"Oh, really? And what was his profession?"

"He was a master alchemist." Cloud replied and Tifa's smile faltered when she remembered Regis on his deathbed. So, his job helped him to know which poison was killing him. She sighed.

"I wish to have a job too." She admitted. "I was raised like a princess and look what I can do now." She shrugged. "Nothing."

"Why are you talking like that. You have a job." Again, Tifa's eyebrows rose. "Remember, how you defended Denzel against Corneo? You have a job - knight."

"Right." She scoffed. "From now, call me Sir Tifa." Cloud laughed and she smiled. "By the way, how's Denzel? I haven't seen him in the castle."

"Maybe he was on his lessons, mother already began raising him as a proper lord."

"Your mother is a great woman. I can see that." Suddenly her shoulders tensed. Cloud leaned closer to her.

"What's wrong?"

"Heidegger." She hissed. "The right hand of Rufus Shinra. What is he doing here?"

Cerulean eyes left her and landed on the newcomer. Heidegger was grasping some old man and shaking him hard.

"You still haven't paid the debt." He growled. "You know that m'lord hates waiting. You know that you will pay for him, one way or another."

"I'll pay." The old man moaned. "But please leave Rem alone."

"When you will pay? In another life? Grab the kid." Heidegger ordered to his fellows.

"Let Relm go, please." The old man pleaded. "Take me instead of her."

"You're too old." The right hand of Shinra scoffed. "And stop rambling about how you'll pay in the future. You know that lord Rufus doesn't give a second chance."

"That's it." Tifa hissed. "I always hated this man and now, he's going to take a little girl. It's enough for me to punch him in his ugly face."

"What?" Cloud turned to see her face, but she was already gone and he could see her in the crowd of armored man with her bastard sword in her hands. He groaned. "Damn that woman." What word she didn't understand in ' _We don't need the unwanted attention?'_ The blond man unsheathed his buster sword and stepped into the armored crowd. Even if she was drawing the unwanted attention to them, he wasn't going to leave her alone.

* * *

 **G'raha Tia - Character in Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn.**

 **Relm Arrowny - Character in Final Fantasy VI.**

 **The old man - Strago - Relm's grandfather. Character in Final Fantasy VI.**


	8. Baron, Part 1

**Chapter 8.**

Relm arrowny was short, scrawny girl with messy blond hair and blue-green eyes and sketchbook and pencil in her hands. Now she was sitting on Tifa's lap and sleeping peacefully. After Tifa tried to rescue her from Heidegger, Relm decided that the dark-haired woman was probably most strong and cool hero ( _"You're almost as cool as Lady Lightning, Miss."_ ) and became her #1 fan. Maybe it was the reason why the blond girl immediately disliked Cloud ( _"You aren't the companion Miss Tifa deserves."_ ) and when the blond man tried to sit next to the princess of Gaia, Relm nonchalantly pushed him aside and tried to sit on his seat. Tifa apologetically smiled at The Rebel Lord and plead with her eyes for him to let the small girl take his seat.

"Where are they taking us?" Tifa asked quietly. Cloud glanced at her and then stared at his chained wrists.

"To Baron."

"Baron? Isn't Baron on the territory of Lucis?"

"Yes."

"But Shinra is Gaian House." Tifa mumbled and rubbed her temples. So Shinra was a traitor. To be honest, Tifa wasn't surprised. She never trusted the blond lord with the eyes of a snake and his flirtatious son. She carefully brushed little girl's short hair with her fingers and murmured. "I want to apologize."

Cerulean eyes pierced her earth-colored ones.

"For what?"

"If I didn't try to save her from Heidegger, you wouldn't be stuck here, with me."

"Are you regretting that you tried to help her?"

"Of course, not. Not a second. But I hate that you're here, chained. It was supposed to be a secret mission and I messed up everything."

Cloud smirked.

"Don't worry about me." His smirk widened. "Guess, no one should mess up with children in front of you."

"Oh, yes." Tifa murmured and shifted. "I hate, when people hurt children. They're still so small and can't defend themselves. No one should take advantage with that."

"Not everyone thinks like you." Cloud glanced at the small window of the old, smelly carriage. "And don't worry about me. I don't regret that I helped you."

Tifa grinned at him.

"You're a great friend, Cloud." She sighed. "What you think, will Noct help us?"

The blond man shrugged.

"He's waiting for opportunity."

"Right." Tifa mumbled and stared at Relm's newest sketch. She could see herself in the black lines of the painting. This girl definitely had the talent in painting. Maybe, it was the reason why Shinra desperately demanded her. Tifa bit her lip. She couldn't save the little girl from the clutches of Lord Shinra. She was in the middle of a fight when Heidegger grabbed the hand of a little girl and demanded from 'The Returners' to drop their weapon or he would slit Relm's throat. Tifa could easily beat them with her bare hands, but Relm's life was in danger.

And now she and Cloud were in the old, dark, smelly carriage with chains on their hands and guilt in her heart.

Suddenly the carriage stopped. Tifa carefully shook Relm.

"Wake her up, we're already in Baron." Cloud mumbled. Tifa scowled at him.

"I'm trying." She growled and shook the little blond again. "Relm, wake up."

Relm shifted and opened her eyes lazily.

"Are we already here?" She asked in a small voice. Tifa nodded and helped the little girl to stand on her feet. Relm sighed. "I'm afraid."

"Don't be." Tifa smiled at her. "I'm with you and I'm almost as cool as Lady Lightning, right?" She winked at the artist and the girl grinned at her.

The door of the carriage opened and the sunshine brightened the dark room. Relm covered her eyes with her hands and hugged Tifa's leg tightly.

"Move your legs and get out of the carriage." The guard growled and received a withering look from the rebels. The dark-haired woman sighed and grabbed Relm's hand. The guard cleared his throat.

"Girls, find kitchen and ask Quina to help you find your places. And you." His eyes narrowed when he examined Cloud. "You look strong." His steel-gloved fingers tried to examine the blond's muscles, but Cloud growled.

"Touch me again and I behead you."

"Like I said, you look strong. You will be a guard." He declared and looked at the girls. "What are you waiting for, go, move your legs."

Tifa scowled at him and mumbled something like 'Son-Of-A-Bandersnatch.' She sighed and smiled at Relm.

"Come, let's find the kitchen."

"But how?" Relm mumbled. "We don't know where the kitchen is."

"I can show the way." A woman's voice said and prisoners turned around. In front of her was a young blond woman with a kind smile on her face and basket of laundry in her hands. She tilted her head to the side and widened her smile. "I'm Rosa Harvey. The wife of former lord of this castle."

"Why, thank you." Tifa murmured and narrowed her eyes. "You're the former lady of Baron?"

"Well, yes." Rosa answered and pointed at the left. Tifa decided that there was the kitchen. "I'm the widow of Cecil Harvey." She bit her lip and sighed. "Wish he was still alive."

"Who killed him?" Relm asked and Tifa poked her. When the little girl mouthed 'what?' the dark-haired woman mouthed 'you shouldn't ask that kind of questions.' But Tifa doubted that Relm understood. The Gaian was bad in that mouthing-thing.

"Shinra." Rosa said flatly. Her pale eyebrows furrowed. "Two weeks ago, Shinra attacked Baron. My husband and my best friend, Kain Highwind died in the battle. Lord Shinra only left me alive because of my healing abilities." The blond woman raised her hand. Bright green aura surrounded her pale fingers. Tifa recognized the spell. It was Cure.

"It's so cool." Relm gasped and Tifa poked her again. Although this Rosa woman seemed like a kind, genuine person, the Gaian still didn't trust her.

Cure disappeared and Rosa grasped her basket with both hands.

"I'm glad that my son, Ceodore is in Eblan." She sighed. "If Shinra killed him, I would end myself with my own hands." She spat. Tifa eyed her cautiously.

"Why are you telling me this?" She asked and hid Relm behind her. "Aren't you afraid that I'm spy of Shinra?"

Rosa smiled at them sincerely.

"Shinra knows how I hate him. I don't hide my hatred. Besides," She adjusted the basket on her hip. "Why the princess of Gaia would be the spy of Shinra?"

"What?" Tifa squeaked. "How you know that?"

Rosa only shrugged.

"Be careful around the mages, my queen." Her beautiful blue-green eyes examined the astounded woman. "Your royal blood sells you. We can feel it." She bowed slightly and smiled at them. "I'll see you later, my lady."

Tifa gaped at her, now Relm was poking her.

"You're the princess of Gaia?" She whispered furiously. Suddenly her eyes widened. "Sweet Shiva, you're the descendant of lady Lightning."

"What?" Tifa squeaked. Again. She turned around and narrowed her eyes suspiciously at the small girl. "How you know that?"

"Don't give me that look, I know everything about lady Lightning." Relm declared proudly. "She was the first queen of Alexandria. The strongest and bravest warrior of her kingdom. The goddess, Minerva, was astonished with this mortal warrior, so she chose the famous queen as her fighter, Valkyrja.

Lady Lightning's husband was lord Hope Estheim, who build a whole kingdom for her and named it Alexandria after his eidolon. After two centuries, Lucis attacked and destroyed Alexandria. The lord of Eblan, Edward Geraldine married the last queen of Alexandria, Rydia Estheim and they named their dynasty Alexandros, after the destroyed kingdom."

"Whoa, whoa, hold on." Tifa stopped the little girl. "Keep it down. We don't need anyone but us to know who am I, right?"

"Of course... Hey, why not?" Relm wiggled her eyebrows and frowned at the Gaian woman. "If you're Alexandros, then why you just don't summon any cool eidolon and free all of us?" Suddenly her face brightened. "So, it was your plan, right? You wanted to slip in the castle and summon your eidolon. It will be so cool. Summon it now. Show me, please, my princess. Please, my lady."

Tifa bit her lip and smiled sheepishly.

"You know, that would be cool, but... I can't use magic."

Relm gave her a withering look.

"You can't use magic? What kind of Summoner are you?"

"I'm not a Summoner." Tifa growled. "I'm a fighter, just like your lady Lightning."

Relm's scowl disappeared and she grinned brightly at Tifa.

"That's cooler. So I should be silent, right? I will be _as silent as the grave_."

" _As silent as the water_ would be better, I think." Tifa mumbled.

Relm shook her head furiously.

"No, ' _As silent as the grave_ ' sounds cooler." Tifa sighed and rubbed her temples.

"As you wish, little lady, just don't tell anyone who I am."

"As I said, I'll be _as silent as the grave_."

"Relm!"

"Fine, fine."

* * *

Tifa grasped her plate and growled. The rough material of her dress was scratching her skin. There was still some soap in her hair and she desperately wanted to scratch her head with her nails, but thick, long braids wouldn't let her. When Quina, the head-cook declared that she needed a good bath, Tifa was happy. She envisioned warm bath with fragrant shampoo.

Oh, how wrong she was.

Instead of warm bath and fragrant shampoo, all she got was a cold shower and smelly soap, made of the fat of a goat. Quina burned her hide pants and cotton shirt and gave her brown, wool dress. And now this dress was scratching the young princess and her whole body was itching.

"Don't scowl at me." Quina scolded her. "Just take the plate to lord Shinra."

"Aye, aye, Your Highness." Tifa spat and grabbed the silver plate.

"Be careful, this wine is too expensive!"

"Oh, just shut your mouth up." Tifa growled silently and scowled at the fat cook. Quina just waved.

"Move your legs. Faster."

Tifa grumbled and searched the main hall with her eyes. Quina told her that lord Shinra wanted warm wine in the hall. Where the hell was this damn hall? She smirked. There it is.

She moved her legs, like Quina advised and in a few seconds she was in front of the door. Tifa raised her hand to knock on the door, but stopped when she heard Shinra's words.

"I'm planning to start the rebellion in a few weeks. Gaia is already weakened after the war. Taking the throne will be a piece of pie."

Tifa's eyes narrowed. Rebellion? What rebellion?

"But how?" The unknown voice asked. "Although Gaia is weakened, king Angeal still can win in the civil war."

"Yes." Another voice said. "They have princess. The last Summoner of Gaia."

"The princess is lost. We don't know anything about her now. Maybe she's dead." Lord Shinra answered. "Besides, even if Angeal asks his niece to help him, we still can counter her."

"How?" The first voice asked again and Tifa leaned forward. Yes, how?

"What are you doing here?" Quina scolded her and Tifa blinked. What this woman was doing here?

Quina scowled at her.

"Don't you know that the eavesdropping is impolite? Now, knock on the door and give lord Shinra his wine. He asked it half-hours ago."

Tifa decided that she was going to kill Quina in the near future.

The Gaian woman knocked at the door and opened it. Suddenly fear churned in her stomach. What if Shinra recognized her? She only met him when she was eight years old, but she was still in danger. Shinra would use her against her uncle.

Tifa only hoped that Shinra wouldn't look at the mere servant.

"Come in." Shinra told her. "Oh, at last my wine. You can leave the hall, my lords." He told his guests. Tifa gripped her plate and bowed at them. She only wanted to leave the room as soon as possible.

"Hey, you, servant-girl."

Tifa pointed at herself.

"Yes, you." Shinra shook his cup. "What's your name?"

"Ellone." She lied easily.

"Ellone." Shinra repeated and stared at her. "You aren't just a mere peasant, aren't you? Your skin. It's as white as the milk."

"I'm bastard of lord Laguna Loire." Tifa lied again. Lord Laguna was related to wutaians, like her. So, there was some resemblance between the princess of Gaia and the joyful lord.

"So, you're Laguna's daughter." Shinra bit his lip. "Why are you here?"

"Heidegger captured me." Tifa answered flatly. "Can I leave you now, my lord?"

"Yes." Shinra waved his hand. "I just thought, that you looked familiar. Guess, I saw Laguna in you."

Tifa bit her lip. Crap, crap, crap. She should leave Baron as soon as possible.

Then she remembered Relm. Tifa was here because of this child. She couldn't leave her alone. Besides, she needed to know how Shinra was going to defeat the Summoner.

The dark-haired woman closed the door behind her and punched the wall angrily. What she should do?

"Where the hell are you, Noctis?" She grumbled.

"Right behind you." Familiar voice whispered and she immediately turned around. Familiar dull blue eyes met her brown ones. The prince of Lucis smirked at her. "Missed me already, princess?"

"Noctis." She exclaimed. "What are you doing here?"

"Saving you and my cousin, who decided to play the knight-in-a-shining-armor's role. I bribed the guards. We should leave the castle as soon as possible."

He grabbed her hand, but she didn't move. She couldn't leave Relm alone.

"I'm staying here." She declared. Noctis gaped at her.

"What?"  
"I'm staying here. I can't leave Relm alone."

"Who the hell is Relm."

"Just a little girl."

"Princess, we're talking about saving the whole kingdom. We don't have time for the little girls."

"I said, I'm staying here." Tifa freed herself from him and glared at the prince. "Besides, Shinra is planning another civil war."

Noctis arched an eyebrow.

"In Gaia?"

"Yes." She answered. "And somehow, he can counter me."

Noctis snorted.

"That's easy. Even I can counter you."

"You don't get it." She sighed. "He can counter me as the summoner." Tifa gave him a pleading look. "I need to stay here, Noctis. I need to know what he's capable of."

Noctis nodded.

"Fine." He mumbled. "I give you this day. At night, I'll come and take you and I don't care if you're coming or not."

"Wait." Tifa stopped him. "What about Cloud? Are you leaving the castle without him?"

"He won't leave you." Noctis answered bitterly and disappeared in the shadows.


	9. Baron, Part 2

**Chapter 9**

Tifa grasped her plate tightly and bit her lip. Her brown eyes searched plans, orders, letters. Papers that could prove that Shinra could counter her magical powers (even thought she hadn't any). Her ivory fingers scraped the mahogany table when she sought secret buttons and drawers. She sighed in frustration.

"There's nothing." She mumbled and shut her eyes tightly. Many of Alexandros could see secret buttons and passages with their auras. Why the hell couldn't she use these damn magical powers? Her mother was a Summoner and her father was powerful Lucian mage.

And here she was, gripping the surface of the red table and searching papers.

"There's nothing." She repeated. "Maybe he keeps them in his bedroom."

Tifa thought that she was incredibly lucky. After all, the maid of lord Shinra could walk everywhere. She had an excuse. The chambers of old Shinra were dusty and needed hard cleaning.

"I'm happy that Lord Cecil is dead. He would be disappointed in you, Lady."  
The silver platter dropped on the stone floor when the long-haired maid ran to the window and stared the scene in the yard. An old woman was grasping young blond female with her sun-kissed locks and screaming and cursing.

"You should wear your title proudly. Guard your people when no one is caring about them and what are you doing? Sleeping with Shinra's bastard." Old woman spat in the mud and pulled the woman's golden curls. Tifa narrowed her eyes and gasped. The old hag was beating Rosa. Rosa Harvey, the former lady of Baron.

Tifa quickly ran down on the stairs and opened the large gate that separated the yard and grand hall.  
"Whore." The woman said in a disgust and freed Rosa's hair from her grasp. "Shame."  
Rosa winced and avoided old female's claws. Tifa ran forward and stepped between Rosa and old Baronian.

"What are you doing?" She growled and extended her hand to help. Gaian princess's brown eyes stared at the old woman. "Why are you beating her?"

"You should stay out of our business, brat." The old hag warned and looked down at the white mage. "She doesn't deserve your protection. My son, Kain Highwind the first dragoon of Lucis." She said venomously.

"He died when he protected you with his chest and took the arrow in his heart when Gaian archer fired it toward you. This is how you're repaying him? Sleeping with his enemy, with his murderer?" The woman glanced at Tifa, who was petrified. "You didn't know LordCecil. He was so honorable, so kind. He loved her so much. And my son. My son loved her so much and look at her now. The whore of House Shinra." Woman hugged herself. "She doesn't deserve the title of the Lady of Baron."

"Leave her alone." Tifa said quietly. "It's none of your business, what she's doing."

"You don't know what are you talking about." the woman snapped. "She's sleeping with my worst enemy and you want me to leave her alone?"

"I know what are you talking about." Tifa said gently. "But still, please, mind your business and leave lady Rosa alone."

"Do you know who are you defending?" The woman scowled at the Gaian princess. "I can see that you're from the Southern Kingdom. Do you know what Shinra's are planning?"

"Yes." The young maiden answered sternly and the older woman sighed in frustration.

"Guess, she enchanted you with her little dirty spells or you're as lowlife as her." She growled. "Why are you defending her? Or do you two share profession? Did the blond bastard fuck you already?"

Tifa gaped at her and before she could say anything, her hand rose to slap the rude woman in her face.

But marble fingers curled around her wrist and stopped it. Tifa turned her head and saw how Rosa was looking up at her with pleading eyes.

"Please, leave her, My Lady." The blond woman pleaded. "She's blinded with the fury and doesn't know what she's saying."

Tifa eyed the anger woman and remembered that she just lost her son. Besides, Tifa didn't enjoy beating old, defenseless women. She learned martial arts and swordsmanship, because she wanted to protect weaklings. She should still defend them, even if they were insulting her.

Tifa mentally thanked Rosa.

The dark-haired girl turned around and eyed the blond woman with a critical eye. The face of the former lady of Baron was bruised and black and blue. She needed medical attention.

Tifa sighed and grasped blond Lucian's hand.

"Come, we need to clean your bruises and apply healing ointment on them."

Rosa tensed. She sensed that the young Gaian wasn't going to just apply some salve on her bruises and wound.

"I can heal myself." She mumbled and tried to free herself from Tifa, but the grip on her wrist was firm and unbreakable.

"Come." Tifa said in a dangerously low voice and Rosa bit her bottom lip. Boy, she was so screwed.

* * *

Rosa watched in silence how the Gaian woman cleaned her wounds with a warm water, applied herbal salve and wrapped white, clean bandages around her injured forearms and damaged jaw. Her nose wrinkled when she whiffed the sharp scent of the balm. She bit her lip and stared at the wooden floor. Tifa knew that the Lucian woman could heal herself with the magical spells properly and still, she insisted that Rosa needed to clean her wounds and put the ointment on them. Rosa knew, that Tifa wanted to talk her about what Freya said.

And she dreaded this talk.

Rosa winced at the burning sensation when Tifa put a large amount of salve on her skin.

"It... hurts." She mumbled. Tifa looked up apologetically at her.

"Sorry." The dark-haired girl muttered. "It's because of Gaian Root. It burns your skin, but accelerates your regeneration." When Rosa gave her a puzzled look, she explained. "I made this salve with that plant."

Rosa nodded and lick her lips. She sighed in frustration.

"Listen what Freya said..."

Dark eyebrows rose.

"Freya?"

"That old woman." Rosa explained and looked at Tifa carefully. The Gaian girl was wearing an emotionless mask on her face.

"Was she right?" She asked calmly and Rosa found herself unable to answer her. So, she just nodded. Tifa hummed and tied a tight knot with the ends of the white bandage.

"Okay."

"Okay?" Rosa gave Tifa a confused expression. "Aren't you going to judge me? I'm sleeping with your worst enemy."

"It's really none of my business. You are free woman and can choose the man you want to share your bed with. Besides, I don't think you willingly bedded him." Brown, warm eyes narrowed. "Rufus is a quite manipulative man. And..." Her voice lowered. "There's nothing the mother wouldn't do for her son."

Rosa nodded.

"So, you know about Ceodore?"

Tifa grinned at her.

"I don't need to be a rocket scientist to know that. Besides," she winked at the astonished blonde, "I'm a smart girl, you know?"

"Yes you are." Rosa admitted and sighed. "I'm glad that there's someone who understands me."

Tifa's grin widened.

"Feel free to talk to me whenever you need. And don't let anyone to think lowly about you or insult you."

* * *

Tifa groaned. Quina was playing with her nerves. Again.

The dark-haired girl huffed and corrected the position of the warm wine on her platter again. Lord Shinra wants this, Lord Shinra wants that. And everyone in the castle were his lapdogs.

She knocked on the door and waited until Shinra answered her. White fingers wrapped around the handle when she opened the door and met the pair of cold, calculating eyes.

"Come in." Shinra invited her and whiffed the sweet scent of wine. "Do you put spices in it like I ordered?"  
"Yes, M'Lord." Tifa answered and clutched the silver platter. Shinra eyed her curiously.

"You're a Gaian girl, right, Ellone?"

"Yes, M'Lord." Tifa answered and gave him a puzzled expression. "Why are you asking me that?"

Shinra shook his cup and shrugged.

"Just interested." He swallowed half of the wine and grumbled. "Put more Elven Ear in the wine next time." Shinra coughed in his fist and glanced at her. "So, you were born in Gaia?"

"Yes, M'Lord."

"Can I ask you, what you think about our honorable king? Do you like him or not?"

"I like everyone who cares about my country." Tifa answered carefully and mentally patted herself on her back. Such a diplomatic answer. Uncle Angeal would be proud.

Shinra grinned at her.

"Smart girl." His eyebrows furrowed. "So, you would like the king even if he wasn't the descendant of Alexandros?"

"Yes."

Shinra gave her a knowing smile.

"Then, I have good news for you, Ellone. Do you know about Alexandria?"

"Yes, it was the Southern Kingdom until Lucis destroyed it." Tifa answered easily. Ha, basics of history.

"Clever girl." Shinra appraised her. "Do you know how why Alexandria lost the war?"

"We didn't have mages." Tifa explained. "Only few Cetras and one summoner and such a large amount of mages was new for us. We didn't know how we should fight them."

"Yes, yes. Smart girl. Clever girl." Shinra clapped his hands in glee. "And why are we still alive now?

Tifa gave him a confused look.

"Because we learned how to fight against mages."

"Yes." Shinra sighed. "There's balance between Lucis and Gaia. Lucians are most powerful mages, while Gaians are strongest warriors."

"When Minerva took Lightning as her Valkyrja, she blessed queen's people. Since then our body changed, we're stronger, faster than an average human." Tifa agreed. Shinra nodded and grasped something beneath his desk. Tifa narrowed her eyes and mentally slapped herself. Of course. Secret drawer. How could she not notice it?

Shinra winced and suddenly his hand reappeared. Dark haired Gaian could see a small, red ball in his hand. Tifa eyed the ball. Why Shinra hid this thing in secret drawer?

Shinra looked up at her and smirked.

"What would happen, if Gaians could use magic?"

"We would have perfect human." Tifa answered carefully. Her dark eyebrows furrowed. "But it's impossible. When Minerva blessed Gaians with physical abilities, she took their magical powers in exchange."

"It's possible." Shinra argued. "Do you have any magical abilities?"

Tifa silently shook her head. Shinra's smirk widened.

"Good. Now take this little ball in your hands and tell me what you feel."

Tifa obeyed and took the ball in her hands. Suddenly warmness filled her entire core and she could feel how she became more powerful. How magic flowed in her veins.

Her eyes widened.

 _Magic._

"What is it?" She croaked. Shinra shrugged.

"I call it _Materia_. It gives its owner magical abilities. For example, this ball in your hand is Fire Materia. You can cast fire with it."

Tifa eyed him cautiously.

"How?"  
"Do you feel the magic in your veins? Let it flow, like blood flows in them and release it, when it reaches your palms."

Tifa arched an eyebrow and closed her eyes, trying to feel the magic along with her blood, that flowed in her veins like the river flows in riverbed. The hotness inside her blood vessels reached for her fingertips and she felt like she was holding a burning candle with them. If she didn't release it, the hot wax would burn her fingers.

She opened her eyes and immediately, the warmness left her body and the orange tongues of flames appeared in front of her. She gasped.

"Magnificent, isn't it?" Shinra whispered, eyeing the dancing flames with his cold, calculating eyes. Tifa dumbly nodded, still astonished because of the warm feeling of the magic inside her.

"How, how you made this?" She muttered. Shinra tilted his head to the side and gazed her.

"It's my secret." When the dark haired girl extended her hand to give him materia, he waved. "Keep it, I have plenty of it. You may leave now... Ellone."

Tifa nodded and hid the materia in her apron-pocket. When her hand clutched around the handle, lord Shinra called her.

"Tell me something, Ellone... If I equip my army with the materias, will there anyone able to stand against me?"

Tifa Lockhart always was honest girl and so now, even if she hated herself for saying it, she still told him the truth:

"No one, M'Lord."

Her head lowered and she fought the urge to punch him in his face. If she killed him, civil war would never happened. She glanced at him with a determined look in her eyes, but his knowing eyes,, confident smirk on his lips and his hand on the hilt of small, sharp dagger stopped her.

Maybe she was Gaian woman with body that was blessed by Lifestream and Goddess herself.

But so was he.

Tifa closed the door behind her and shut her eyes tightly. She had important things to do now. Important things like saving her kingdom from the claws of the future tyrant.

* * *

Tifa roamed meaninglessly in the castle, clutching the fire materia tightly and thinking about her conversation with Shinra. Her mind was blank and fear was crippling the voice of reason inside her. She knew how powerful she became when she cast fire.

Tifa shuddered when she multiplied it in her mind.

The dark haired girl grasped the stone wall and collapsed on the cold stairs. Her marble fingers clutched her hair when she tried to calm herself and fight her fear. Even thought she was right, when she told Shinra that no one could stand against him, her uncle still had a chance to win.

Suddenly she shivered.

Why the great lord Shinra talked her, a mere maid about his secret weapon? She was a new girl in the castle and Tifa doubted, that Shinra ranted about his secret plans with everyone. He wouldn't tell her about materia, if he didn't know that she was someone important.

Someone like the princess of Southern Kingdom.

Tifa opened her eyes. Now everything made sense. Shinra knew that she lied to him. Shinra knew that she was the wanted princess of Gaia. He would hold her as his hostage and use her against her uncle. If somehow, she managed and escaped from Baron, he knew that she would warn her uncle and tell him about materia. And then, the fear would conquer the army of brave Gaians. They could fight against mages, but Shinra's hadn't army of mere mages. His soldiers were battle-hardened fighters, who were just as good in the battle as her uncle's warriors.

Tifa knew, that defeating a man, who was afraid, was as easy as chewing piece of freshly baked apple pie.

Tifa also knew that half of their army would change their sides after hearing the news.

Young Gaian stood up and grasped the stone railing. She needed to leave Baron and warn her uncle. Maybe king Angeal would plan something and somehow counter Shinra. Also, they had Aerith. The leaving legend. Last of Cetras. The dark haired girl was positive, that Cloud would help them too. He was close friend of Zack and Tifa dared to think that he was her friend too.

And Noctis. Tifa hoped against hopes, that he would fight against Shinra.

Tifa sighed and gears turned in her head. She was planning thousand strategies to fight against Shinra's army. Maybe they could discover the recipe of materia. Then they would fight against fire with fire.

Her mind brightened when she remembered the secret drawer, but her cheerful mood immediately swung when she remembered that Shinra wasn't the man, who would leave his secret drawer unlocked.

And Tifa was positive that he had best lock in Lucis and Gaia. She regretted, that she didn't listen to Yuffie, her Wutaian friend, when the midget insisted that even the princess of Gaia needed to know how to break locks. Tifa declined Yuffie's offer to teach her lockpicking. After all, she was raised by famous king Angeal, who always told her that she should do anything to defend her honor and breaking locks and stealing definitely wasn't honorable thing.

Her mind brightened again.

Stealing, of course. Cloud. She remembered blond's words about how Regis decided to teach his son and nephew the art of stealing and lockpicking. Tifa hoped, that Cloud would be able to break secret drawer's lock.

She ran downstairs and sought the door of guard's barracks. Tifa sighed in relief when she opened the door and met familiar spike-shaped blond curls.

And immediately she felt how her face warmed when she noticed his bare, incredibly toned back, that was covered with small scars. The dark haired girl coughed uncomfortably in her fist, trying to deserve blond fighter's attention.

Cloud turned around and Tifa forced herself to look at his sapphire colored eyes and not his also incredibly toned chest. The blond noticed her uncomfortable expression and instantly threw a canvas shirt on and sat down on his bed. Tifa shifted and mumbled:

"Noctis was here."

"I know." Her blond companion responded. "I saw and talked to him."

"He wanted us to leave the castle immediately, but I declined his offer. I couldn't leave Relm and Rosa alone." She confessed. "Sorry."

"I understand." Cloud answered. Cerulean eyes narrowed. "But you didn't come here to tell me about Noctis's visit, right?"

"Yes." Tifa exhaled. "I think, Shinra knows who I am."

Cloud tensed.

"And?"

"He plans a rebellion against my father. I'm afraid, that we might be the ones, who'll lose the war."

Pale eyebrow rose.

"Why you think so?"

"Somehow, he discovered this little ball." Tifa revealed her fire materia. "With that, anyone can use magic. Fighting against him will be a meaningless massacre."

Cloud didn't tell her anything and Tifa continued:

"He had hidden this in his secret drawer. Maybe he hides other important things in that drawer too."

The corner of Cloud's mouth twitched.

"Let me guess, you want me to break the lock of his secret drawer?"

"Yes." Tifa admitted sheepishly and scratched back of her head. Cloud glanced at the clock and frowned.

"Noctis will be here in a half hour. We should act fast if we want to check Shinra's drawer."

Tifa nodded, grasped his hand and lead him to the cabinet of lord Shinra. Suddenly the walls trembled and Tifa did her best to not collapse on the stairs.

"What was that?" Cloud mumbled. "An earthquake?"

"I don't think so." Tifa responded and ran to the window. Bright green lights were flashing outside, crashing into the hard walls of Baron. "Someone is attacking the castle."

"Noctis?"

Tifa shook her head.

"No. I doubt, that even Noctis is as strong as the attacker." She sighed. "Whatever. We should use this opportunity and leave Baron. Take Rosa and Relm with you. I'll check the drawer."

Cloud arched an eyebrow.

"And the lock? What are you going to do the lock?"

Tifa grinned at him.

"I'll smash it."

Cloud frowned at her and opened his mouth to say something, but Tifa stopped him.

"Don't start 'It's dangerous' crap now, Cloud. Saving them is what is important to me now."

He sighed.

"What about other Baronians? Are you going to leave them?"

Tifa bit her lip. She knew, that what she was doing was unfair. There were people who needed her help.

But Gaians needed her help too. So, she just lowered her head and mumbled:

"I'll return to them."

The blond male sighed and ran downstairs, where the servant's chambers were. Tifa gazed at him and when his silhouette vanished, she moved. Her feet carried her to the door of Shinra's cabinet.

"Don't you dare to touch the handle."

Tifa spun around and gaped at Rosa Harvey, who was aiming an arrow at her.

* * *

 **Well, hello, guys, Weringale is back with a new chapter, Yepee... I'm sorry again, because of my slow updates... Damn my school... But I'm glad that I finished this chapter. And I'm glad that more people favorite and follow my story (my thanks to Teici, LovelyPolkaDots** **and Thembra).**

 **List of characters and regions, that were used in last chapters:**

 **Baron - The kingdom in Final Fantasy IV.**

 **Eblan- Kingdom in Final Fantasy IV.**

 **Rosa Joanna Farrell - Character in Final Fantasy IV.**

 **Cecil Harvey - Main Protagonist in Final Fantasy IV. Husband of Rosa and father of Ceodore Harvey.**

 **Kain Highwind - Character in Final Fantasy IV. I wanted to leave him alive, but Kaifa (Kain x Tifa) is one of my greatest ships and I know that probably he would be in love with Tifa too. It's too much for me. After all, Noctis and Cloud already have small feelings towards our dark haired martial artist.**

 **Quina - Character in Final Fantasy IX.**

 **Freya Crescent- Character in Final Fantasy IX.**

 **Edward Geraldine (Edge) -Character in Final Fantasy IV.**

 **Rydia (In this fic Rydia Alexandros) -Character in Final Fantasy IV.**

 **Lightning (Claire) Farron - Main Protagonist in Final Fantasy XIII.**

 **Hope Estheim - Character in Final Fantasy XIII.**

 **Ellone - Character in Final Fantasy VIII.**

 **Laguna Loire- Character in Final Fantasy VIII.**


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